The Aftermath
by Khadrimx
Summary: After the fall of Ganondorf in OoT, Hyrule is in disarray. Zelda, now Queen must rebuild her kingdom, and Link must struggle with what will become of his life. Meet a whole new cast of characters as a new evil unfolds in the land. Can it be stopped?
1. The Aftermath

The sun retreated behind foreboding gray clouds, making the water of Lake Hylia look dark, cold, and uninviting. Shadows obscuring the view of the lake in front of him, Link glanced up at the sky and sighed heavily. Rolling mercilessly overhead, the clouds were unconcerned with the day to day lives of the Hylians below. It wasn't uncommon these days for dark storm clouds to roll in very suddenly, particularly over this area of Hyrule. Stopping to watch the clouds roll curiously in and completely engulf the round sun in the sky, he pondered seeking refuge from what would surely be a torrential downpour. If nothing else, the beautiful rainbow of hues displayed by the sun's futile fight against the clouds was a sight to behold.

But watching the wind urge the dark blue waters into rolling waves, Link reconsidered hanging around the lake as he had planned and stayed instead in his spot on the grass near the water's edge. What was the worst that could happen when the storm rolled in? He'd get a little wet? Glancing away from the chilly water hidden by newly developed fog, he decided that after having braved the temple beneath the lake a year prior, he could handle a little rain. Returning his attention to his elbow, and the torn cloth of his undershirt, Link pulled the newly formed tear open further to examine the scrape that he'd received. His shirt was already ruined, so he didn't care much that he was making it worse.

Pouting his bottom lip when he realized the scrape spread through the entire tear of his shirt, he tore the hole so it was easier for him to reach the sore wound. Ever since the fall of Ganondorf and the collapse of his empire by Link's hand, Hyrule had been on the mend. Seven years, it had suffered under the rule of the evil man from the deserts, born to a race of female warriors. He had murdered the king and queen of the land, taking the role of king for himself. Their daughter, and rightful heir to the throne, had only managed to escape thanks to some quick thinking from her handmaiden, Impa who had believed the young girl's dark dreams of a wicked man who would bring destruction to the land.

Link had, nearly a year ago, managed to recover the seven sages and their powers so that he could stand a chance against the powers that Ganondorf had strengthened while Link had spent those seven years trapped in a slumber within the Temple of Time after having pulled the fated Master Sword from its tomb.

While the princess had taken on the role of Queen, she had no castle, no army, no resources or treaties with surrounding countries to aid her. Though Link was confident in Zelda's ability to rule the recovering kingdom of Hyrule, what he wasn't confident of was if the Queen would be able to manage enough recovery before forces stronger than the two of them combined attempted to take over and bring them to their knees.

Feeling the first drops of rain on his head through his green hat, Link glanced with blue eyes up at the sky to see a few black birds flying overhead, searching for refuge away from the lake and the oncoming storm. Thunder made Link shiver and tremble as though a chill had passed through him. Hurrying to wipe the blood away from the wound, realizing covering a wound in wet gauze would do him no good, Link quickly wrapped his elbow, ripping the cloth with his teeth. Covering up wounds had been something he'd learned during his adventures, something he had been forced to become good at. It had either been learn to take care of himself or die, so he had been very grateful that he'd become a natural at the task.

Standing up Link took a moment to adjust the heavy load on his back; his sword, shield, quiver of arrows, and the magical bag he carried at his waist to keep any of his other items safe. Clicking his tongue, he turned to face the path leading away from the lake and toward the vast fields of Hyrule, squinting his eyes to see through the fog, searching for something within.

His faithful companion, Epona, a beautiful and rebellious mare, had wandered off around the lake while he'd sat to rest and clean his wounds. Ever since the collapse of Ganondorf's empire strangers had found their way through Hyrule's borders, no longer protected by dark magic, seeking either the throne or the rumored golden power hidden somewhere within the country. While he'd been blessed by the three goddesses who had created the land eons ago, the Triforce still eluded anyone who searched for it. Link figured that was because no one was meant to wield such power and while greedy hearts became consumed with the idea of possession, Link took it upon himself to protect the legend.

What he _had_ grown weary of was the constant danger. Walking away from the lake, looking still through the fog for his horse, he brought two fingers to his lips and blew a loud whistle to call for her. Not that he didn't enjoy the fight, the struggle, and the constant thrill of adventure, in fact he'd loved it. But he had missed out on his entire childhood to save a world that had fallen into such disrepair despite his efforts. When the princess had asked him to take on the task, he hadn't considered the long term repercussions.

"Queen. Zelda's not a princess anymore. It's hard to get used to." Link reminded himself, pulling his green hat away from his head and shoving it into the brown bag he held at his waist. He'd often lost his hat in windy weather, so now that the wind had picked up and the rain fell harder, he'd decided it best to simply ditch the thing until the weather had cleared up.

Finally the familiar galloping of his horse reached his ears on the wind. Turning toward the sound of hooves, he waited for the horse to approach. Epona looked happy to have heard her master's call so Link brushed his fingers over her mane.

"Good girl." Cooing quietly, remaining close to the horse's face, Link glanced around his surroundings once more. The Queen had entrusted, nearly begged, Link to take on the role of hero one more time to protect the borders of the land from those who came to them with evil in their hearts. Reluctant to give anymore of his life over to a cause he didn't fully believe in, Link had agreed, seeing no other choice. Zelda was his friend, practically his family, so how could he turn her down in her time of need? How else could he help the land he so loved? While he couldn't vouch for the people of Hyrule, not given the chance to acquaint himself with more than a small handful of them, he knew that the land and its creatures, even the less than benevolent ones, deserved to live in peace.

So one by one, Link had sent visitors with evil in their hearts packing, or to the grave. Smiling at the thought of his success, he grabbed the top of Epona's saddle, slipped a foot in the stirrup and climbed onto her back. Clicking his tongue, Link pulled on Epona's reins and urged her to turn about face, toward the entrance to the field. Epona bucked in objection and Link grimaced, leaning to talk once more to the horse. Epona had been his only long term, consistent companion, and so he'd learn to gauge what her movements and nuances could mean if translated into speech.

"What is it girl?" Brushing his fingers through her mane, he looked around for some sort of threat hidden in the fog. "Is something there?" When a whinny reached his ears, Link knew at once what his horse had been trying to tell him.

"I forgot something, didn't I? Something important." Link sat up straight on the horse and started toward Hyrule Field, still plagued by spirits and monsters Link had been unable to vanquish entirely. There were sections that had begun to flourish over the year past despite the wild creatures running amok. The people of the surrounding villages, in an attempt to boost Hyrule's economy, had built farms and tilled the land to prepare it for farming, some crops had managed to grow and thrive, others that had withered and failed.

As Link urged Epona along a path that rode through some of the fields, he felt a surge of hope, seeing how many of the crops in that particular area had become successful. In the distance, at the end of the field, the silhouette of an owl statue signified the entrance to one of the newer towns rebuilt after the collapse of Ganondorf's regime. Standing, hooded and looking rather annoyed, was Hyrule's only remaining Sheikah, Impa. The severe looking woman had herself covered in a cloak from head to toe to keep from getting completely soaked in the downpour.

Riding next to the statue, Link dismounted and pet Epona soothingly. Impa simply stared in response with her steely gaze, looking disapproving. Before she could scold him like a child for being late, Link held up his hand in objection.

"I'm sorry. I was cleaning up some scrapes from last night that I hadn't gotten a chance to clean up before I'd passed out from exhaustion. I'd nearly forgotten until Epona reminded me we were supposed to meet. Forgive me." Link sighed and then nodded toward his horse. "Is there a stable where I can tie her up so she can be safe from the rain?"

"Yes." Impa chose her words wisely. Her severe features softened and she smiled, clearly accepting Link's apology as a heartfelt one. "Follow me. I already tied up Champion." Impa acknowledged her own loyal horse. Link followed the woman past the owl statue and into the streets of the small town. It seemed she had considered scolding Link despite his explanation and apology for being late, but had changed her mind. After the night before when she'd watched Link wrestle with a peculiar ranger type fellow who had come in through the forest, harassing the Kokiri in search of the golden power, she was feeling rather forgiving. After all, the young man had done so much for their kingdom, she could allow him to be late every once in awhile as long as he didn't make a habit of it.

Without responding, Link followed, guiding Epona along by her reins, and taking in the small town's décor. If he hadn't had prior knowledge that people lived in this place, he might have never known. Due to the bad weather, the windows were closed, some of them even boarded over to keep the rain out, leading Link to believe the storms had become rather frequent. There wasn't another soul in sight as far as he could see and he wondered how long they had been plagued by storms. He didn't often stay at the Inns within the towns, he much rather stay in a tent of his own making overnight. Unfortunately all of the time he'd spent traveling alone over the years, saving Hyrule and finding solace only in the few companions he found at the end of each journey, Link had become a loner and when in new social situations, became rather quiet.

It wasn't that he was shy, just that he wasn't used to being around so many people. One on one he was fine, but in large crowds he garnered unwanted attention and unless he was telling a story about a battle he'd been in or an adventure he'd been on, he stayed quiet and kept his head down. Perhaps it was from all the time he'd spent trying to keep himself out of the watchful eye of Ganondorf and his fiends that he'd learn to blend into the background. Whatever it was, it was no aid to him now that the biggest battle of his life had long since ended. The only friends he found himself comfortable around were Zelda and Impa. Even his childhood friends seemed to be removed from him, and not by any fault of their own. He was a different person before he'd grabbed the Master Sword and gone on his adventure.

Impa led him to the stables in the far end of town. Once inside Link turned to his horse, pet her on the nose, receiving an approving whinny then led her into the stall next to Champion, a muscular black stallion that looked proud even as he stood in the stall, still damp from the rain. Epona trotted inside the stall and before leaving Link pulled an apple from his bag and offered it to his horse, watching her eat and enjoy each bit of it before petting her mane once again. Whispering an approving murmur of what a good horse she was, he patted her side and then stepped out of the stall, closing it properly with Impa's guidance. Link wasn't used to proper stables, usually he let Epona do what she wished when he was busy.

"Come now, we'll grab a warm drink at the pub." Impa nodded back out into the rain. Link nodded his head and followed the woman down the road to a dark, but surprisingly clean, pub. It seemed like the entire town had gathered inside the pub to wait out the storm. Nearly all the tables were filled with adults and children alike, enjoying various meals and drinks. The sound of chatter was surprising after having heard only rain for so long.

"Impa! I saved a table for you." A jovial looking man with rosy red cheeks and a long tailored mustache was wiping out two glass mugs with a white rag, nodding toward the corner of the pub. Impa thanked the man and Link averted his eyes to the table that had been acknowledged, aware that the bartender who had addressed Impa was staring at him. People weren't sure if they should treat him like a celebrity or fear him and he didn't want to steer them in either direction. While he was sure that it was impossible for one to do what he had done and still have a normal life, he was hoping he could eventually find some level of normal so he could be treated like everyone else in towns like this.

Sitting down at the table, Link smiled cordially at the bartender who poured them each a mug of ale, lingered awkwardly, expecting further conversation, then cleared his throat and left when he realized neither Link nor Impa had anything to say to him.

"So, why did you want me to meet with you today, Impa?" Link ignored the glass of ale in front of him. He'd never found the need to drink, and surrounded by all these people, he didn't think it was the time to dive into such a habit.

"What, a woman can't come and greet her friend and take him out for a drink?" The corner of Impa's eyes wrinkled with age, but her smile felt much younger.

"Well, if that were the case I doubt you would've been so frustrated that I had forgotten." Link chuckled pulling his sheath off of his back and laying it across the seat behind him, sure to lean on it so if it went missing, he would know in an instant.

"Oh you see right through me each time. There is indeed something I would like to discuss with you. Something rather important actually."

"There usually is."

"As you know, the Queen has been contemplating how to rebuild Hyrule's peaceful kingdom." Impa began, setting her own drink aside after taking a gulp of it. Link nodded in recognition. "Well, you can't have a kingdom without an army. I'm sure after having to chase out those villains last night, you realize this as well as anyone."

"Yes, Hyrule is vulnerable and people with greed in the back of their minds know that. Hyrule needs to be protected." Link agreed sternly, though he had no idea how on Earth such a destroyed land would find protection after all that had occurred.

"Exactly. Now, all the old knights were killed when Ganondorf took over but people are coming out of hiding now that the evil king has been sent to his grave. Hylians love this land, Link, they love it as much as you and I do."

"I'm aware. I'm sure if they didn't, they wouldn't have stuck around through all those years of torment." Link swirled his glass of ale around, with no intention of drinking it. The foam at the top of the glass swirled in a pretty pattern and it entertained him while they spoke.

"There are people willing to volunteer their services, to protect and serve our great kingdom even while we rebuild and recover from the damage done."

"Oh really?" Link looked up from the amusing foam in his glass. "That's excellent to hear." A smile spread over his face. Perhaps he could find himself after all. He couldn't be a hero forever, could he?

"Yes, yes… It is great. The only problem is, Link, that no one in this land is qualified to fight. Not anymore. We have the old training grounds… They're destroyed but could easily be rebuilt!"

"Well that's most certainly a start."

"We just need someone to train them." Impa looked to the younger man knowingly and frowned when she saw the surprise on his face. Surely their entire conversation had been leading to this.

"Me? You want _me_ to train these people?" Link wasn't unsure of his capabilities, but the daunting task of training an entire group of people to be an army was overwhelming. He knew how to defend himself, how to think on his feet in dangerous situations and go on the offensive when necessary but he had no real technique. No one had taught him how to use a sword or a bow, these had been skills he developed after many failures which had always nearly resulted in his death. How could he teach others how to fight when his battles had always been the product of guess work?

"Of course! Who else could teach them? There are no warriors left here and the only other option would be to find someone outside of the kingdom! Link, we trust you! The Queen and I know what you're capable of and while we wish you could always be here to protect us from the darkness that surrounds Hyrule even as we speak… we know it is too big of a burden for you to handle on your own. There is no one more qualified within Hyrule to teach our men and women to fight than you!" Impa smiled proudly, as though she were bestowing some sort of honor upon Link.

"What about you? You're a warrior. Couldn't you train them?" Link stuttered from his nerves. It was just as daunting a request to be asked to save the world over and over as it was to be asked to train unqualified people to stand in harm's way. How could he be sure they would all succeed? What if he ended up being the cause of more death and destruction brought to the innocent people of the world? This was surely a burden he could not handle on his own.

"I am not a warrior, Link." Impa shook her head, looking as though someone had popped her balloon of excitement. "Yes, I know the rudimentary skills that battle requires but I am a Sheikah. I am a magician. Most importantly, I am old." Impa shook her head and looked down at her weathered and callused hands. "You will not be alone in your task, Link. I have to find and train the Sheikah who have scattered across this world. You will have me for guidance and you will have the sages for support. None of them are warriors, except for perhaps Nabooru but we need a more organized style of fighting. Link, you are the only one we trust with this task." Holding her hands on the table, she implored to the young man who still remained unsure.

"How do I teach them, Impa? I was never taught!"

"But you learned." Impa laughed, hoping to instill confidence in her friend. "You learned against all odds because you had no other choice. If you take what you learned on your own and pass this knowledge on to others then it will be more than a good start. We are all playing it by ear here Link and we need your help."

"I'll have to think about it." Link muttered, leaning backwards in his chair. Why hadn't Zelda asked him to do this himself? They hadn't had much time to talk or discuss anything but the workings of the land since she had become so busy. He had the feeling that she was afraid to burden him anymore than she already had. Perhaps she felt some guilt for having gotten him involved with this in their youth. She had become like a sister to him, and he would never blame her for what had happened. Resentment sank like a stone in his stomach when he realized the Queen hadn't come to discuss this with him because Zelda simply didn't want to. Link did things he didn't want to do all the time, so it only seemed fair that Zelda should have asked him personally.

Ignoring these selfish thoughts he caught Impa's disappointed gaze and sighed heavily. "Look that doesn't mean I'm going to say no. I've always been there for Hyrule, Impa. Always. I wouldn't abandon this place now, would I? I just need to think it over and come up with a plan of attack that I can handle in my mind. Then, I can agree and we can continue. Just let me think about it for a week or so, alright?" Impa seemed satisfied with Link's further explanation and nodded her head.

"That is understandable. You are still young Link, I do not want you to think that your life is not yours. It is, I merely am offering you a job."

"You mean Zelda is offering me a job." Link chuckled.

"The Queen, yes… She was reluctant to ask you. She hasn't been sleeping, stressed and exhausted when it comes to the affairs of her kingdom. I offered to ask you in her stead." Impa smiled knowingly and Link sighed with relief. So much time alone had not been good for his thoughts, but now hearing this explanation from Impa, it made perfect sense. Zelda had wanted to ask him, and Impa, constantly looking to take care of Zelda, had offered to ask him instead to give her one less worry.

"Well, I wish she would've brought it up when I had been there earlier in the week, but that's alright. I'll consider it and try to figure this out in my head. It's amazing that the world has started to heal on its own accord, you know. I know that we feared that people wouldn't return but look at this, Impa." Link smiled looking around the pub that looked like it had been there for years, but in actuality had been built out of the ashes sometime in the last year. "Things will be alright. Time is all we need to heal."

"You're right." Impa smiled knowingly. "Now, I have matters to discuss with the Queen. You are welcome to join me if you like. I'm sure she would like to see you. It has been a long time since she has had company outside of mine and I am less of a friend more of a mother for her."

"Yes, yes we know you're an old nag, Impa." Link joked and Impa gave him a stern but amused look.

"Careful with your words young man."

"Only when you're careful with yours, old lady." Link chuckled, picked up his glass of ale and took a small sip. It made his throat warm as he swallowed but tasted terrible. Impa was glad to see Link in better spirits than when they'd found each other in the pouring rain.

"So, will you join me on my trip?" Impa asked, nodding toward the door, pulling some of the diamond shaped rupees out of her purse to place on the table and pay for their drinks. Link pulled out some of his own as well but stopped as Impa held her hand out and shook her head, to let him know this drink was on her. Considering Link had only taken a sip of his drink, he figured that was fair enough. He would attempt to pay for the next meal they shared together, is all.

"Yes, I think I will." Link smiled brightly. The idea of leading the armies of Hyrule seemed terrifying still, but the fact that he'd been given the chance to turn down the opportunity meant worlds to him. Getting up from his seat, he picked up his sheath and replaced it around his shoulder and adjusted his green tunic and undershirt beneath it so it all sat comfortably.

"Good, I'll be glad for the company. I've spent the last few weeks traveling alone so it will be nice to have someone to talk to. Besides, I think Champion has taken a shine to Epona, despite her unruly nature."

"Funny, I thought he was annoyed by her. She is not nearly as proud a horse as he is." Link chuckled, walking through the crowded pub to reach the door which they'd come across earlier in the night. They walked through the rain, raising their voices properly to hear each other.

"That's just a ruse you know. He is secretly fond that she's such a free spirit." Impa chuckled as they walked and hurried to the stables, making sure Link followed close behind.

"Of course. Funny how opposites, even in animals, seem to attract."

"Not opposites at all. Champion is as stubborn as he is proud." Impa smiled as she approached her horse, who looked stoic but pleased to see his owner approaching. Epona, on the other hand, was prancing playfully in place, clearly excited to be ridden again, her head bobbing back and forth with a whinny here or there.

"Well, you wouldn't be able to see any similarities on the surface." Link laughed and opened the gate for Epona, who came dancing out and nuzzled her face right up against Link who pet her in response. Champion made a noise of disapproval and trotted out with his head held high, as if to show Epona how a real horse behaved. Epona paid no mind to the other horse. Link took her reins once Impa had Champion ready to travel.

"Well, they're different as well but… similar enough." Impa chuckled and the duo walked out of the stables with their horses behind them. They would both wait until they reached the outskirts of town to mount their steeds.

"So what were you doing on your travels, Impa? Regale me with tales of adventure from outside of Hyrule!" Link led Epona through the muddy streets through the rain that had lessened since they'd entered the pub.

"I'm afraid there isn't much to tell you. My trip wasn't as fruitful as I had hoped. I'll have to take several more until I dig up something. But, that story is for another time, as this is what I plan to discuss with the princess. Surely, you wouldn't want to hear the same story twice, would you? It would be rather pointless." Impa stopped just past the last house, petting Champion once more before grabbing onto the saddle and pulling herself atop her horse. Link followed suit once he got Epona to stop prancing about excitedly.

"Queen." Link corrected, urging Epona toward the north, where Hyrule Market had once laid, nestled between the mountains and the forests of Hyrule.

"What?"

"You said princess. She's the Queen now." Link clarified as the two started their horses off at a trot toward their destination.

"Oh yes, yes… You are right. I'm afraid it's been a tough transition for me. She's been the princess for so long that sometimes I forget when you saved the kingdom she took her place as heir and Queen. I still slip a lot of the times."

"She probably wouldn't mind if you just called her Zelda, either." Link shrugged as the horses ran alongside each other.

"It's not right. A handmaiden doesn't call her ruler by her first name."

"Well, things aren't exactly normal around here are they? You're more than just a handmaiden Impa. You said it yourself, you're more like a mother to Zelda than anyone." Link glanced over at his friend as the rain began to clear.

"It's tradition Link, I'm afraid that some old habits aren't so easy to be rid of." Impa smiled knowingly at the young man. Link nodded in understanding, even though he still found the entire concept to be silly.

"So what has Zelda been up to then?" Link asked after an awkward moment of silence. "Last I checked she had decided to try and rid Hyrule Market of Redeads. I'm not sure how she was going to go about that, but I'm guessing by the fact that I've heard nothing of the event, it hasn't yet happened."

"Ah yes, there was a brief time in which we had spent each night, setting the Redeads on fire and hoping to be rid of each of them! But somehow, each night there are more. We are thinking that perhaps the wickedness of Ganondorf's Tower having been so close might have caused some supernatural occurrence."

"They just keep coming back." Link smiled knowingly. "I tried to explain that to Zelda. You can't kill something that's already dead. They reform and reappear the next night. The only way to get rid of them is to find what brought them to life in the first place. They're not zombies, they're products of magic."

"I guess your explanation must have struck a chord because that has now become her primary goal. As far as we can guess, the only evil thing that occurred close by was that tower that Ganondorf had built over the ruins of Hyrule Castle." Impa smiled knowingly. That had been Link's way of saying _I told you so_ but he had somehow managed to make it not sound insulting at all. Zelda had always been like his little sister, and he always treated her as such.

"So, what does she plan on doing about the castle then? It collapsed when I killed Ganondorf, how else could it be affecting the Market?"

"The land is scarred from the evil deeds that had taken place during Ganondorf's rule." Impa scowled.

"So how do we fix that? Scars only fade, rarely heal."

"The Queen has been attempting to heal the scar left on the earth by the evil king by using her magic bestowed upon her by Kings of old through her blood line. Unfortunately it is tasking for someone who is still learning to use her magic to heal such darkness so it has become a slow and taxing process."

"Why not ask the other sages to help? That's how we got into the tower in the first place, so why not ask them to help heal the land?"

"Yes, that is a good idea. We'll mention it to her when we get to Temple of Time."

"I'm also willing to chop the hell out of some Redeads if you want some help keeping them off of her back." Link laughed quietly.

"I'm sure that the Queen will be more than happy for your assistance in the matter." Impa couldn't help but laugh a little as well. Silence followed for a few more moments, aside the sound of the wind around them, and the footfalls of Epona and Champion on the path to Hyrule Market.

"Want to race to the castle?" Link said after a moment of awkward quiet, without turning his gaze toward Impa.

"…oh you're on." Impa laughed and before she could kick the sides of Champion to get him to run ahead, Link had done the same to Epona and had gone speeding off toward the castle's ruins. He turned to look over his shoulder and stuck his tongue out at Impa, speeding off ahead. Impa trailed behind. Champion was an older horse than Epona and willing to take less risks while riding.

After a half an hour of sprinting through the fields of Hyrule, they approached the moat that surrounded what had once been the town in front of the castle. The bridge across the moat and into the ruined town had been newly repaired by Impa and Link a month prior. Reaching the bridge first, Link slowed Epona down, but the horse clearly knew she'd done something well because she felt the need to trot around in a few victory circles. Link laughed and leaned close to his horse's mane.

"Good girl, but it's time to let me off…" Epona slowed and steadied her hooves, long enough for Link to dismount. Instead of tying her up, he let her do as she pleased. Clearly drained from the race, she took to grazing and sipping water from the moat. Champion came up behind a few moments later and looked annoyed that he'd lost the race. Impa on the other hand, seemed impressed and observed Epona as she meandered happily through the field.

"That's some horse you've got Link. I know I've said it before, but Epona is truly a remarkable creature. I've never seen a horse so… spirited and loyal." Champion whinnied in annoyance. "Oh, hush." Impa dismounted and tied Champion's reins to the ruined statue of the old king next to the bridge. "You stay here while I go see the Queen and if you're good, perhaps she will let you come to the Temple tonight and sleep somewhere warm." Impa patted her horse consolingly and turned to Link.

"She's more than a horse, she's my friend." Link shrugged his shoulders and started onto the bridge that led into the old market town.

"Yes, yes… It doesn't make her any less peculiar."

"I think it's fantastic." Link chuckled and as he was about to push the heavy barred gates they'd built outside the market town to keep the Redeads from spreading open, an ear splitting scream rang from somewhere within the town walls. Link and Impa froze in their tracks and exchanged knowing glances.

Throwing open the gates to the market town, Link pulled the Master Sword from its sheath and ran into the market, prepared to destroy any Redeads brave enough to step into the daylight. Impa followed behind him, closing the gates behind her, daggers in hand.

They both knew who the distressed cry had belonged to.


	2. Cloak and Dagger

Without hesitation, Link ran through the abandoned and run down Market, sword in hand, glancing around him in search of any enemies that might dare to get in his way. While Redeads had once plagued the market at all hours of the day, they had more recently become nocturnal, fearing those who made the Temple of Time their home and cut them down during the daylight hours.

The market was nearly destroyed. The stores that had once thrived in the memory of Link's childhood were falling apart, doors hanging off hinges and roofs half caved in. The back alleys where the shop owners had once made their homes were destroyed beyond recognition. The fountains and bazaar stands in the center of town were covered with foliage, overgrown and hazardous looking. What lay beyond the back alleys became unrecognizable and Link had never taken the time to travel that far within the town so he had no idea what it had once been.

Storm clouds often rolled in overhead in that area, but as of that moment the skies were clear and it seemed the Redeads were nowhere in sight. Link considered running to the Temple of Time to go and find Zelda, since he knew it had been her crying out in distress. Had the Redeads perhaps formed some intelligence and gone after her in a group? Maybe she'd been outnumbered and weak from her attempts at healing the land that they had overwhelmed her when she'd least suspected.

Then it occurred to Link, Zelda wouldn't be at the Temple of Time during the daylight hours if she was being as vigilant in her duties as Impa had claimed, and Link had no doubt that she was. While he'd only recently gotten to know the woman, he was aware that she was driven and lived for her kingdom. He couldn't picture her slacking off or taking a day of rest, even if she hadn't been feeling well. It was in her blood to be a leader and now that she'd taken on the role of Queen it showed.

As Impa rushed past him to the gates that had been built around the Temple of Time to secure it from the zombie-like Redeads, Link knew she was heading in the wrong direction. Rushing over to her, Link grabbed her wrist and nodded toward the entrance to the old castle.

"She's got to be over here! She wouldn't be at the Temple of Time, would she?" Link yelled, feeling urgent despite the fact that a second scream hadn't followed up the first. Had she just dropped something on her foot? Maybe Zelda would be just fine and nothing had gone amiss. The scream had sounded rather dire, it wasn't the type of sound someone would make unprovoked or because of something as trivial as a spider. Link's fear, and he could tell it was Impa's as well, was that whoever had attacked the Queen, if that had indeed been the case, had done so well enough to keep Zelda from yelling for help a second time.

Impa nodded to agree, realizing Link was right and heading to the Temple of Time would just waste the precious few moments they had. Leading the way, Link hurried up the broken and loose stone steps, through the destroyed front gates of what had once been the castle grounds and down the pathway that had once been beautifully decorated with flowers and shrubbery that led to where the old castle had once laid.

Now there was nothing but burnt rock and the ashes of a terrible king and the rubble of his terrific castle. Impa and Link had gotten rid of a lot of the debris, burning it in the fires of the crater at the top of Death Mountain, but still more had been cleared out and placed near the entrance. Link dodged the debris, ran with his sword in his left hand until he managed to make his way to the decimated remains of the actual tower that had been built in honor of Ganondorf. There were few walls of the building left, since they'd spent so much time clearing out the space in hopes of healing the land and rebuilding Hyrule Castle, but enough to obstruct his view of where the Queen may have been.

"Where is she Link? We've already wasted precious time! She could be…" Impa drifted off, unable to utter what was in her mind.

"Don't think that way! I'm sure she's fine." Link grimaced. Zelda was capable of protecting herself to an extent. She had spent years in hiding from the evil king while Link had slept inside the hidden chamber of the Temple of Time. But when it had come down to confrontation, Zelda was still a Queen and she had far more experience in being a proper lady and a ruler than she did in combat.

Hurrying through the rubble of the old castle, Link noticed that on the ground, in patches, grass had begun to grow. The healing that Zelda had been doing to the land seemed to be working but from what Link could tell she had a long way to go. Perhaps the addition of the power from the other sages would speed along the process and allow them to rebuild the castle.

Suddenly he caught sight of a shadow, a silhouette of someone near the edge of the castle ruins. Link turned back to Impa who was right on his tail and pointed in the direction of the figure that had apparently ducked out of sight. Impa ran past Link, her daggers in her hands, ready to protect the honor of her Queen.

"You! Step away from the princess!" Impa shouted as she nimbly dodged the rubble that remained on the old castle grounds. Link sighed in frustration. Why had Impa given away their position? No wonder they had decided to ask Link to train the army they were developing for the kingdom. Impa clearly wasn't sure how to respond in dire situations and confrontations. Link hurried along, pushing off of the nearest half destroyed wall to gain momentum.

The figure that had been crouched over Zelda, who lay on the ground looking unconscious and exhausted sat bolt upright at the sound of Impa's voice. Getting closer, Link could see that the attacker was indeed a woman with long blond hair, hidden half by a gray cloak. Abandoning the body of Zelda on the ground, the woman turned on her heels and bolted toward the hills behind the castle grounds, lined with trees. If she got through the trees into the thick forest she'd be lost to them.

The northern border of Hyrule was treacherous with jagged rocks, steep cliffs and thick forests that were tough to navigate in normal circumstances, nonetheless when tracking a villain. Link hurried over to the fallen body of the Queen, dressed in a dark purple colored dress, the jewels she wore around her neck fallen on the ground, her long blond hair pulled from its messy bun. Link handed Impa his sword and turned the body of the woman over so she laid on her back, pushing her hair from her face so he could get a better look at her.

Blood dripped down her forehead and while she was unconscious, she seemed to be alive. Something had knocked her in the head, most likely the woman who had fled the scene. Link checked Zelda's pulse once more then got to his feet. Turning to Impa he grabbed his sword and pointed toward the tree line where he could still see the woman fleeing.

"You try and wake her up and clean up that gash on her forehead, I'm going after her attacker!" Link hadn't expected an actual assailant to go after the Queen, he'd expected Redeads to be there overwhelming her and now that he'd seen it was an actual Hylian he was enraged. It was one thing to come and try to overthrow the throne, or to attack him being the champion of the kingdom, but it was another to attack a woman who was merely trying to heal a scarred land!

"Go Link! Don't worry about us!" Impa knelt down and cradled Zelda's head in her lap, pushing her hair away from the wound and pulling a cloth out from her pocket to dab at the gash that seemed less and less severe as the blood was wiped away.

Link hurried over the rubble, artfully dodging the debris left behind the castle and hurried up the hill toward the tree line where he saw the woman disappear. Why had someone attacked Zelda? Were they after her kingdom? It would make sense to go after the Queen, but why did anyone want this place? Who would want to rule a destroyed kingdom? There was nothing left in Hyrule of value other than the fabled golden power, but how would hurting the Queen get anyone any closer to such a goal? Surely, they would need Zelda alive in order to find the golden land, since the tales were passed down generation to generation through the royal bloodline.

"Stop! In the name of the kingdom of Hyrule, I order you to stop!" Link shouted, running up the hill and through the trees. He'd never explored this area of the kingdom at length before. When he'd been around Ganon's Tower he'd always been left unsettled and had felt the need to get away from it as quickly as he could.

He'd managed to gain on the woman he pursued but was surprised when she took the time to turn around and make an obscene gesture toward him in response to his orders to stop. Startled momentarily, Link stumbled in the grass over the gnarled root of a tree. Gathering himself before he fell, he hurried after the woman. Knowing he'd never catch up to her at his current rate, seeing as it looked like she knew her way fairly well, he contemplated how gain an advantage.

It wasn't in his nature to cause unnecessary pain to a person and seeing that Zelda seemed like she would be just fine and had barely been injured, Link didn't want to shoot the woman with an arrow to stop her.

Winding through the trees, left and right, Link didn't see any other way. The woman knew where she was going and every time he thought he'd caught her, she'd slipped out of his hand. Running out of breath, he knew one of them would have to give up sooner or later and he guessed it wouldn't be her. Now that he'd pushed himself physically, Link could feel the effects of the fight he'd been in the night before protecting Hyrule. His legs were sore, his arm was throbbing from where it had bled, and he was winded far more than he would have been on any other day.

The woman seemed out of breath as well and when she finally turned on her heels to face him, Link was shocked. He hadn't expected her to stop and actually address him. In fact, it hadn't crossed his mind for a single second that she might want to talk to him about what had happened.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why are you chasing me?" The woman seemed as winded as he was, but world's more frustrated than he felt. Why was she so annoyed with him when she'd been the one to attack the Queen?

Link, having been prepared to tackle her to the ground when he got close enough and bring her back to the castle grounds by force to face the Queen for judgment, couldn't stop himself. He'd spent the last ten minutes chasing her through the hills and the unkempt trees. Having sheathed his sword when the fight had turned into a chase, he couldn't stop from leaping at the woman, not with the momentum he'd built up. She hadn't expected this move and merely held her hands in front of her to try and protect herself from any physical assault.

"Hey!"

Link's bulk knocked the thinner woman to the ground, tackling her in the grass. Apparently he'd knocked the wind out of her as he watched her cough and gag for a moment in surprise. Not swayed by the fact that he'd caused the woman minor injury, Link leaned up on his knees and grabbed the woman's shoulder, planning on flipping her onto her stomach so he could grab her wrists and detain her.

Much to his surprise, the woman slipped her legs out from beneath him and kicked him hard in the stomach, knocking Link onto his back. He made a noise of discomfort and stared up at the trees above for a moment in surprise. He'd never been assaulted like that by a woman before.

The woman had gotten to her feet, he could hear her coughing and trying to regain the breath he had knocked out of her when he'd tackled her to the ground. Link moved out of the way, surprised when she came at him a second time, attempting to give him a kick to the side and actually injure him.

"What is wrong with you?" The woman, out of breath, coughed, frustrated that her blow hadn't hit his side so she stomped on the grass instead.

"What's wrong with _me_?" Link leaned on his elbows and in an instant pushed himself to his feet, pointing an accusing finger at the woman who seemed beyond anger at this point and out for his blood. "What's wrong with _you_?"

"I stopped to talk to you about what happened and you chose to tackle me? I think I was in every right to kick you like that! You knocked the wind out of me! I only wanted to return the favor!" Leaning hunched over, the woman rested her hands on her bare knees. Her cape was a mess, and her skirt and shirt were covered in leaves and dirt from having been tackled so violently onto the ground.

"I was tackling you because you were fleeing the scene of a crime!" Link couldn't believe he was actually having to justify his actions to the woman who had attacked the Queen in cold blood then fled the scene like a coward when she'd been caught. In fact, he could barely wrap his mind around the entire scenario.

"Fleeing? Fleeing! I was just getting the hell out of there!" The woman shouted then thought about it for a moment before calming down. "So maybe I _was_ fleeing but it's not for the reasons you're thinking."

"Oh yeah? You attacked the Queen of Hyrule! Do you know what kind of penalty that comes with?" Link shouted, his own anger and frustration boiling over. It wasn't like him to lose his temper, but something about this woman set him off.

"Penalty?" The woman scoffed as if the idea of it was a joke. "Look around! There is no kingdom here and no punishment for you to dish out!" The woman attempted to straighten out her cape but made a noise of frustration when Link grabbed her by the wrist and started to pull her down the hill before she could manage to right it.

"You are under arrest! You're coming with me!"

"Oh come on, I didn't hurt her!" The woman was frustrated, but Link could see her bottom lip pouting in annoyance and was partially amused at the entire situation once his anger had ebbed. If she hadn't hurt the Queen, she'd be rather funny. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that she had made a few very valid points. Hyrule had no prison, no dungeons, and no proper punishment system for villainy in the kingdom anymore. Anyone who had attempted to cause the land and its people harm had been kicked out of its borders or killed, considering most were of a wicked and inhuman nature to begin with.

"Didn't hurt her? So the huge gash on her head that knocked her unconscious isn't considered hurting her to you is it?" Link scoffed, tugging the woman down the hill while she attempted to twist her wrist free of his grip without losing her balance on the uneven land. Stopped in his tracks, he turned to see that the woman had grabbed onto one of the trees and braced her feet in the dirt to make him stop dragging her.

"Stop pulling me and _listen_ to me you thick headed idiot!" The woman was exasperated and annoyed. Link, still not believing a thing the woman had to say, let go of her wrist and crossed his arms over his chest. Of course, she had given him no reason to believe her either. Even if she hadn't hurt the Queen, she could be the only witness to the crime and it was reason enough not to let her go.

"Fine, I'm listening. Happy now?"

"Far from it but thank you." The woman dusted off her cape as she had attempted to do before Link had started to drag her. Link noticed the sword on her hip and the all purpose bag she had on the opposite side. She looked like a warrior of sorts, much like he was.

"So…" Link waved his hand in front of him impatiently. If nothing else, he found the situation interesting. He'd never had an evil doer try to talk him out of punishing them before when they'd been caught.

"I was up here in the forest, coming into Hyrule as I often do these days to do some dealings with the Gerudos in the south. I heard a scream down the hill so I ran to see what had happened. When I saw the woman on the ground, unconscious already, I didn't realize she was the Queen but I saw she had some really great jewelry. So, I seized the moment and tried to take her necklace to sell for a profit. Then the great one man Hyrule police force showed up. Last thing I wanted to do was get mixed up with the Hero of Time. Trouble follow you everywhere and I have enough of it without your help."

"You expect me to believe that you just happened upon the scene only moments before I did?" Link cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. The story was too farfetched, but something in the back of his mind wondered if there was some truth to her story. Sometimes the more ludicrous a tale, the more likely it was to be true. It was hard to come up with such an intricate lie in such a short amount of time under such pressure without being a master of such things.

"Yeah, well when you say it like that it sounds ridiculous. But it's true. I don't go around hurting random people you know. It's not really my thing."

"Yeah you just steal from them, right?" Link grabbed her wrist again and began to drag her down the hill once more. The woman didn't fight him this time, realizing that she wasn't going to get out of her predicament so easily.

"I do steal from them, what do you care hmm? Like you've done nothing reprehensible before in your life? Like you haven't stolen from the temples you've conquered and on the quests that you've been on. I'm sure that bow was just handed to you, that sword? We're all thieves, hero, but some of us don't hide behind a title." The woman narrowed her eyes at him and pulled her wrist free of his. "I can walk just fine on my own."

"Wow, do I detect a _hint_ of resentment?" Link didn't bother trying to grab her again, seeing that she didn't look like she'd flee once she'd realized the severity of her situation.

"I'd hope so, I wasn't trying very hard to hide it. So now what, hero?"

"I'll take you to the Queen and if she says you attacked her we'll decide what punishment is fitting for you."

"Right, so when your Queen tells you that she has no idea who the hell I am, can I knock the wind out of _you_? It only seems fair." The woman coughed again, still recovering from being tackled by the bulkier man.

"If you really feel it necessary to be that petty." Link chuckled under his breath, leading the attacker through the rubble of the old castle, over to where he could see Impa sitting on the ground with Zelda who was awake but looked pained and tired.

"Link!" Zelda and Impa cried out in surprise, apparently glad to see him. Impa was looking relieved but still concerned. The wound on Zelda's forehead had been cleaned and wrapped with a piece of gauze by her handmaiden. Zelda looked at Link then over at the woman who had been accused of attacking her then back to her friend.

"Who's your friend, Link?" Zelda smiled weakly, in an attempt to be polite despite her discomfort. The woman who had been accused of attacking Zelda smiled triumphantly while Link visibly deflated.

"She's… the one who attacked you." Impa responded with hesitation, looking rather confused by the Queen's question.

"Oh, not at all! This young woman must have arrived after it had happened. You see… it was a man who had attacked me. I barely saw him before he was upon me, but he was definitely a man. I would have recalled seeing this young maiden." Zelda smiled kindly, but was mentally torn. Who had attacked her? Even his presence had felt heavy, but why had he disappeared? He'd obviously succeeded in his attempts to cause her harm, why had he stopped there. The Queen could only think of one reason.

"So, now that you realize how incredibly _wrong_ you are, I'll be on my way." The unnamed woman shrugged her shoulders, readjusted her cape again and then started to walk back toward the tree line she'd been practically dragged out of by Link.

"Wait just a moment!" Zelda got to her feet on her own, despite Link having offered her a hand. The woman slumped her shoulders and turned back around to face the trio, a hand on her hip.

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if I asked you a few questions, madam?" Zelda smiled, hoping to ease whatever angry tension had been built. She couldn't blame the newcomer. Obviously, the traveler wasn't from around here and the moment she'd stepped into the Kingdom she'd been captured and accused of assault. Obviously considering whether or not she should bend to the whim of the Kingdom of Hyrule, the woman stayed silent for a moment before relaxing her shoulders.

"Yeah, go for it."

"Why would my friends think that you had attacked me?" Link and Impa stayed behind, watching the exchange between the Queen and the taller warrior.

"Probably because when they found you, I was hunched over you. I can see how they made the mistake but when I cleared it up back in the woods, your hero should've listened instead of being _oh_-so-condescending."

"I wasn't condescending." Link pouted slightly but quieted when Impa elbowed him in the side.

"Would you mind telling me how that came to be?" Zelda continued. Her tone wasn't threatening, merely inquisitive. Perhaps if this new woman saw her attacker she could be of some use.

"Well, I was coming into the Kingdom to do some trading with the Gerudos. I provide them with seeds from outside of Hyrule and they temper my weapons. It's a pretty even trade considering what success the crops have had in the desert. But, I was traveling through the tree line when I heard a scream. Naturally curious, I came down to the ruins here and saw you on the ground. There was a man hunched over you, encompassed in a black cloak so before you get any smart ideas I can tell you now that I wouldn't recognize him again if he walked past me right now. But, he must have seen me coming down the hill because he fled." Zelda seemed to perk up a bit with the information she'd been provided.

"So you chased away my attacker! Ah, I owe you much gratitude. Please, would you join me and my handmaiden for dinner? I know I'm royalty but I happen to be an excellent cook!" Zelda was partially excited to see a person from outside the Kingdom having come to Hyrule without the intent of stealing the throne or chasing the rumors of the golden power. Maybe she could pick the woman's brain and get some insight into how to drive in more visitors to help boost the population and the economy.

"Calm yourself, lady."

"She is no lady, she is the Queen and you should respect her as such." Impa held her head up proud and sighed.

"Fine, calm yourself _Queen_." The woman repeated, looking in Impa's direction as she spoke before turning to face Zelda again. "I didn't come over to save you. I made sure you were alive then had every intention of stealing from you. That's when your hero and your lackey showed up so you should cook them dinner and let me go about my business." Zelda looked completely thrown off that this woman had confessed her intentions of thievery. "Since I didn't actually steal anything from you I've committed no crime so I'll be on my way." The warrior woman turned on her heels and started back toward the tree line, where she'd been dragged away from.

"Should I… stop her?" Link asked curiously, watching the woman go in confusion. Zelda and Impa seemed as equally confused as Link did.

"No, let her be. If she doesn't want to join us I won't force her. I'm still grateful that she chased away my attacker but I don't think she appreciated being accused of doing the deed herself. I wouldn't want to join us for a meal either after such a thing." Zelda watched the silhouette of the woman fade into the trees before turning her attention back to Impa and Link. "Thank you both for your dedication, but I promise that I'm fine and well. I merely have a headache and I'm sure with the wonderful job Impa did wrapping my wound I'll be fine in no time at all."

"Why don't we go back to the Temple of Time and let you rest, my Queen?" Impa bowed her head respectfully but Zelda shook her head in a negative response nearly immediately.

"I'm fine, honestly. The Redeads seem to be staying away from this area now so I think my work has started to do some good. There is still nearly half the day left so I insist I get some more work done. Before that though, why don't you tell me of your travels Impa?" The Queen looked around the castle ruins, attempting to gather her bearings.

"Yes, your majesty." Impa watched her Queen curiously. Link was staring out into the tree line still, looking suspicious as though the Queen's attacker would pop out of his hiding place at any moment. He couldn't explain it, but Link couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched by something. Since Impa and Zelda didn't seem to feel the same way, Link didn't bring it up and chose instead to listen intently to Impa's tales of her travels and keep his eye out for anything suspicious around them.

"I know it is rumored that the Sheikah are extinct with the exception of me and the man whose visage you used as your disguise, your highness." Impa began on her story. "That is only a rumor. The Sheikah were no longer needed in their duties to protect the royal family when the great time of peace came upon us. Over generations, the knights became more powerful and necessary than the Sheikah so the King dismissed us from our duties. My great grandmother chose to stay on to aid the women of the royal family and the task was passed down to me over the generations."

"Which I am eternally grateful for." Zelda bowed her head respectfully. Impa always seemed flustered at compliments from her Queen.

"As am I. You see, Sheikah didn't fade from existence, they merely left the kingdom and went on with their lives, waiting to be called back to serve the royal family of Hyrule when the time came." Impa smiled thoughtfully, proud of her lineage. "The first born of each Sheikah family would receive the honor of their parents powers and gifts being bestowed upon them. Of course, the parents didn't lose their powers, it was merely granted to one child. Otherwise, the world would be rampant with Sheikah. These children would pass the powers and knowledge onto their eldest children but were also sworn to secrecy."

"I recall you mentioning this before once when I was a child. Your sister has no powers, right? She often resents you for that." Zelda grimaced, wondering if this was a common occurrence in the family of Sheikah.

"Yes, my sister loves me but she is jealous of my skills. Unfortunately, it is beyond my years to have children so the gifts I possess will be lost unless I choose a successor. Only one of royal blood can help me pass on my powers, so one day, if I so choose my Queen, I would be honored if you would help me pass on my gift." Impa smiled.

"Of course I would." Zelda nodded her head. "But of your travels, please. I do not wish to get off topic."

"Yes, of course. I wandered out of the southern borders of our wonderful land, the least treacherous of borders by the by. I searched for others that I had heard rumors of in different lands and towns, different kingdoms as well. None would admit to me their powers and I unfortunately met with no Sheikah who were willing to return to a ruined kingdom to serve, forgive me, an inexperienced Queen."

"No offense taken, I completely understand why they would feel that way. I often feel at a loss with my duties, but how else am I to learn other than to do?" Zelda smiled knowingly at Link who had felt the same way about being a warrior.

"Regardless, I traveled as far as I knew and gathered maps of the surrounding areas I visited. I left notes in the ancient language of the royal family and hoped that whatever Sheikah had moved to the area would find the notes and heed the call I sent for them. It is the bound duty of a Sheikah to heed the call. To ignore it would be going against the order and no Sheikah would truly do such a thing. It would risk their right to the powers given to them!" Impa smiled softly. Link had been surprised that Impa was in such high spirits after such a failure of a trip. He admired the hope she felt in times of hopelessness.

"So, it's a waiting game then?" Link shrugged his shoulders, finally turning his eyes away from the perimeter. Whatever had been watching them was long gone. The day's events weighed heavily on his mind. There was far more to what had happened at the castle grounds than met the eye.

"Yes, a waiting game. Once this situation here in Hyrule has been sorted out, I will head back out through the woods behind us to the land beyond. I know it is inhabitable for the most part but there are a few who wish to remain in seclusion. I will continue to seek out the Sheikah until they return to the land and help us rebuild Hyrule to its former glory."

"Wonderful, Impa. Just wonderful!" Zelda smiled. What had seemed like bad news now appeared to be decent news after all. "Link, has Impa yet discussed with you the fate of our land's armies?"

"Yes she has and while I'm honored to be offered the position I'm afraid that I'm going to have to think about it thoroughly before I give you a concrete answer on the matter." Link was nervous to give such an answer, but he had to think it through. He wasn't sure if he could devote his life to the armies of Hyrule. There was this ache to find himself and regain the time he'd lost while he'd slumbered for seven years.

"Of course. Please, take your time Link. I would never want to burden you further than I already have. You trusted me all those years ago in my youth when I sent you on my quest and you have already given more of your life than I could ever ask for in the name of a land that has given you so little in return." Zelda's smile had faded but she understood exactly why Link hadn't jumped at the opportunity to take the job he'd been offered.

It was Zelda's duty to rule the kingdom of Hyrule. Link had never had a choice when he should've had one and she respected that. It would have broken her heart to see her friend unhappy merely to please her. They'd become like brother and sister over the last year and she would never guilt him into leading the army even if she saw no other way to build Hyrule's defenses.

"Thank you for understanding." Link turned his gaze back to his friends and smiled. He wasn't sure why he had expected them to be less understanding than they'd been. Perhaps he just felt bad for telling them he was unsure. Or perhaps he just felt bad for feeling unsure of the decision at all. It was the indecisiveness that was really eating away at him.

"Of course."

"Oh my Queen, Link had come up with a great idea while we were discussing the armies of Hyrule in the pub down south!" Impa snapped her fingers in recollection.

"Yes?" Zelda turned to Impa.

"You are healing the land to try and rid the market of Redeads so we can rebuild and allow people to open their shops here once again but… you are doing it all alone! Link suggested that you ask the other sages, including myself, to come and aid you in your attempts to heal the scarred land here!"

"Oh I couldn't ask such a thing. It's tiring work and we are all inexperienced in such drastic healing." Zelda smiled weakly and looked around, then snapped her fingers in realization. "Wait just a moment, I recall something! When you had first awoken me my memory of the attack had been quite blurry but now I see things clearly. He hadn't come upon me out of nowhere, not at all! I had come upon him here on the scarred land. I still did not see his face, I saw him cloaked and heard him muttering in a language I did not recognize. I don't know why I thought this, but I could have sworn that he had intended to raise the dead here in the castle ruins! I called for him to stop and told him he was trespassing upon the royal kingdom's land. He turned and struck me so quickly I couldn't defend myself!"

"Do you think he could be the source of the Redeads in the marketplace?" Impa looked confused. The only person to summon Redeads prior to this moment had been Ganondorf himself and he had died by Link's hand.

"I'm unsure if that's the true reason. Honestly, I'm still convinced that it's the evil that scarred this land." Zelda knelt down and touched the scorched earth beneath her. "I can feel it you know. The world is crying, throbbing in regret from the things that happened here. It needs healing and relief. These ruins need to know that this is not the end. I can rebuild and we can redeem this land from the hell that Ganondorf condemned it to over the years." Zelda closed her eyes, the palm of her hand glowing with an unearthly white light. She'd learned over the last few weeks how to concentrate her energy into a healing power that would purify the soil and allow plants to grow.

Below her palm the black scorched dirt slowly faded into a brownish hue, looking far more normal than it had only moments prior. Zelda pulled her hand away and sighed heavily. Clearly the effort of healing the land around her was exhausting.

"I think that regardless of your beliefs about this land, raising the dead in the land that had once been ruled by the evil king, Ganondorf, is highly unorthodox and should probably be outlawed. That woman by the way… she brought up a pretty good point while I was dragging her back here. We need to set laws and punishments for the crimes committed here." Link had almost been embarrassed that he'd had no proper response when the woman had asked what the consequences would be for her actions if she had indeed been the Queen's aggressor.

"I agree. It's on the very long list of things I need to have done here in the kingdom. But, I think you're right. Link would you please do me the favor of looking into what that man could have been trying to do here? Try and find what his evil intentions were and bring him to me for judgment! I won't have a dark man traveling through shadows on my kingdom to bring up more of these Redeads to torture my people." Zelda got to her feet with the aid of Impa who could tell how exhausted she was.

"I will do so right away, Zelda." Link nodded his head. While he wasn't prepared to throw his life into the task of training an army, he was intrigued by what had occurred at the castle ruins that day and knew that the only way to figure out what had happened truly would be to hunt the man down and ask him.

"Thank you very much." Turning to look at Impa, Zelda smiled. "Perhaps you're right. I will send a message to the sages to ask if they could assist me in healing this land. I don't know why I haven't asked them for assistance before this point. It seems like such a simple and elegant solution to a very large problem."

"They would be more than happy to assist you I am sure of it." Impa nodded to agree. "You should rest now though, my Queen. We can head back to the Temple of Time and we can send out messages to the sages. Tomorrow is a new day and we can start it as such after you have had some proper rest!" Impa started to lead Zelda toward the gates to Hyrule Market so they could return to the Temple of Time. This time the Queen did not object. Link could see how weary she felt and followed after taking in his surroundings once more.

"I'll return once I've found out more about this man that attacked you Zelda." Link hurried past the slow moving women and held open the large gate, prepared to attack any Redeads that were brave enough to go after them in the daylight. They could likely smell the blood that Zelda had lost and moving her through the market now would be a risk. Hopefully they were still too frightened of the daylight to make any such attempts.

"Where do you intend to start looking? I didn't give you much information, I'm afraid." Zelda looked around the market, seemingly thinking along the same lines as Link in regards to the Redeads that plagued the marketplace.

"Where would you hide in this kingdom if you were hoping to lay low for awhile?" Link smiled after a moment.

"Ah yes. Do be careful Link. I know you've navigated the Lost Woods a thousand times before, but the last thing we need is for you to get lost in there as well." Zelda smiled knowingly.

"Don't worry, I'll be just fine. You get some rest." Link pulled his sword from his sheath, guarding the women while they made their way to the Temple of Time. When they reached their destination unscathed, Link sheathed his sword and hurried through the marketplace and out over the bridge over the moat, making sure to close the heavy gates to the market behind him so Redeads would adventure into the fields.

"Epona!" Link cupped his hand next to his mouth and shouted. Champion grunted and trotted in place for a moment then shook his head to the side. He looked annoyed, or jealous, Link couldn't quite tell. Smiling, he saw Epona leaping at the boughs of one of the trees that had begun to bloom outside of the moat, attempting to get some of the fruit that had barely started to grow.

Link thought about what Impa had said about Champion and partially wondered how funny it would be if he really was fond of his horse, considering how he seemed to hold such disdain for her ridiculous antics. Hurrying past Champion after giving him a pat on his side, he walked over to where Epona was frolicking around the tree.

Grabbing onto the branch, Link pulled himself up high enough to grab one of the blossoming fruits that Epona had been attempting to snap at. Pulling it free of the branch it'd been hanging from, he wiped away a leaf then held it out for Epona who munched upon it happily. Petting her nose, he spoke quietly.

"We've got another adventure on our hands, Epona." Link smiled. The horse looked up at him curiously but didn't stop eating her fruit simply because the game was afoot. "Once you finish that, we're off to the Lost Woods."


	3. The Forest in Shadow

The whole of Hyrule seemed to be subject to ominous clouds threatening rain, Link noted while he rode Epona across the lengthy fields. He followed the river that flowed down from the uncharted mountains and fed into a small lake near the entrance to the Lost Woods and Link's childhood home, Kokiri Village. Due to the amount of rain that had been recently dumped upon the area from the heavens, the lake and river bed were currently overflowing into the overgrown grass.

While this would usually be a bad thing for most places, the nearby village of Kakariko had instead used the flooding to their advantage and turned the riverbed into a field for crops that grew beneath the water. There had even been talks of building an irrigation system to urge the overflowing lake to the drier parts of the field. Reminded once again why he fought so hard for the people of Hyrule, Link gently nudged Epona's side with his boot, urging her to go faster toward the entrance to the forest he was so familiar with.

"Whoa, whoa, hold on girl…" Link pulled hard on Epona's reins, which she objected to with an annoyed snorting sound while bucking up on her hind legs. Being accustomed to such behavior from an unruly horse, Link balanced himself so he wouldn't fall off of her back then watched Epona prance uncomfortably around as if to recover from stopping so short and complain about doing so in the process. "Sorry, Epona".

Climbing off of Epona's back, Link patted her mane comfortingly and stared at the entrance to the woods in awe. His view of the usually quiet forest was entirely obstructed in fog and shadow. Fog wasn't considerably abnormal for The Lost Woods, but this sort of fog was something new and incredibly unearthly as far as Link could tell. Taking a step forward, Link tried to find a logical explanation for the phenomenon but nothing came to mind. Nothing except for the use of magic; this only furthered his suspicions. Had the man cloaked in black who had summoned the Redeads and attacked the Queen taken refuge in the forest and cloaked himself in fog and shadow to avoid detection? As far as Link was concerned, there was only way to find out.

Before he could finish his thought, he heard humming from somewhere within the fog, a sing song voice of sorts, almost like it was luring him to come and play. Trudging ever forward, Link only stopped when he felt something tug on the back of his shirt. Epona had nipped the back of his tunic and tugged defiantly. Turning to face his horse, he placed both hands on either side of her worried face and stroked her cheek lovingly.

"It's okay girl, I'll be fine. I don't fall for those tricks remember? Don't you worry about me." Link gave the horse a reassuring smile but was met with a nervous whinny and a shake of Epona's head. "Really, I have to do this. You know that there are no other options! Come on, I've been through _much_ worse, don't you remember? It's just fog anyway…" As if to spite him, suddenly there was childish laughter coming from within the fog that vanished as quickly as it came. Getting the chills down his spine, Link stared into the fog prepared for something horribly creepy to walk out of it. It shifted despite the lack of a breeze in the air, but revealed nothing ominous. It looked like the world's biggest cauldron had boiled over inside the forest and now the steam of some sinister spell was spilling upon the world.

"And some creepy ghost laughter but honestly…" Link chuckled, turning back to his friend and confidant, and stroking her mane. "Please stay here and wait for me. I'll be back before you know it and if I need you… you know my whistle." Epona shook her head again but took a step back and gave Link a look that clearly told him that she trusted him and wouldn't try to pull him back again or to follow him.

Turning away from his horse, Link started toward the fog, stretching the fingers of his left and his right hand just in case he had to act quickly. It'd been awhile since he'd properly tested his reflexes. He wondered if the Kokiri were alright in whatever fog had taken over the forest. The Kokiri were eternally children, growing to the age of nine or ten in appearance then never aging another day. Each had their own special fairy, their own companion. While they looked childish, many of them were far more mature than most of the adults Link had run into throughout Hyrule.

Link had grown up with the Kokiri since he'd been abandoned in the forest as an infant. He knew very little about his real family, but had always considered the forest children to be his brothers and sisters. Perhaps he'd consider stopping in the village on his way out to make sure they were alright, if he could find the village at all in the dense fog.

As Link continued further into the woods the fog slowly surrounded him. Link stepped carefully one foot at a time, considering changing the boots he had on in case the ground suddenly escaped him if he lost track of his footing. On his adventures to save Hyrule he'd obtained several different types of magical boots to assist him, ones that were so heavy he sank like a stone and others that removed traction beneath his every step. But on the other hand, Link had traveled this forest more than any other area of Hyrule. He knew it like the back of his hand, despite its deceiving name. He decided against changing boots and continued.

The forest, like a lot of Hyrule, was magical in its own right. While other areas of Hyrule had obvious reasons and sources for their magic, the Lost Woods had always been a mystery to everyone who had entered it. Many adventurers had sought out what gave the forest its power, but nearly all of them had disappeared never to return, at least not in the form they'd entered the forest in.

Link continued slowly, keeping alert and looking left to right with each step and soon behind him once he'd realized that the field had disappeared from view. A small wooden sign had been knocked to the ground and Link only noticed it when he'd accidentally kicked it. Leaning down, he picked up the wooden sign and righted it, stabbing the end of it into the ground and pushing the dirt around the stake to give it extra support so it would stay up properly.

He'd recognized the sign as one of the many that had been posted around Hyrule to let those unfamiliar with the land know where they were headed. This one in particular had once been labeled The Lost Woods but someone had scribbled the letters off of the sign completely so all that was left was a deep gouge. Furrowing his brow, Link wondered who would do such a thing and why. The Lost Woods were legendary. If there were somewhere outside of the old castle that had been notorious across the world outside of Hyrule, it was the woods that people generally avoided due to such tales.

Putting this information into the back of his mind in case it came up later, Link trudged past the sign and through the canopy of trees that signified the entrance to the Lost Woods. Beyond him the road would fork. To the left would be the woods and to the right would be Kokiri Village.

A twig snapped somewhere to his left and instinctively Link pulled his sword out of its sheath and pulled his shield up to protect himself. Staring through the fog for signs of movement other than the ethereal flow of the mist surrounding him, Link waited with baited breath for the source of the sound.

When no sound followed and no source showed itself, Link put away his sword and lowered his shield. Anywhere else in Hyrule, Link would have guessed it had been a small animal simply scavenging for food through the brush. The Lost Woods was special in another way. Normal benign animals had long since abandoned the woods. It had been hundreds of years since they'd disappeared. Nearly all the creatures within the forest were twisted with darkness and those who were within the woods and hadn't yet been twisted would suffer a fate most foul.

For that was the power of the Lost Woods. It was in the name itself, Link thought. The very title of the woods was a warning to those passing by of what would become of them. The trees seemed to move and shift around on their own accord even when they weren't shrouded in mystical fog. There was only one path that would lead directly through the woods and if one missed a single step they might never find their way back to the entrance, forced to wander the woods for all eternity.

Luckily Link had guidance the first time he'd gone through the forest. The Kokiri had always known their way through and had never feared the forest the way that the others had but still didn't make it a habit of traveling through it. Could the Kokiri have gotten lost in the fog and wandered into the forest instead of their home? Perhaps that was the noise he'd heard.

"Hello?" Taking a chance, Link called out in case there was someone running around in terror in the woods, searching for help. Once someone became lost within the woods was when the wicked magic of the woods took hold of them. Panic and paranoia was rumored to grip anyone lost within the woods, forcing them to run and try to escape which would only succeed in getting them lost deeper within the thickening throng of trees until no light from the sun met them and all hope was lost.

He'd heard that the trees would turn wicked and make evil faces at those who had gotten lost to drive them into madness, but that was merely a rumor. It could also have been a lie told to children to keep them far from the woods. Perhaps those lost in the woods for a few days would go mad from lack of food, water, and companionship then imagine such a phenomenon. Link hoped he would never have to find out the truth. When those who had been lost had give up all hope of escape it was said the forest took them and made them into its own.

The wicked creatures that hid in the shadows of the forest, hoping to lure travelers off their safe path and into its dark boughs, were said to once have been travelers that had gotten lost and were transformed to do the bidding of the forest. Link had always been curious if there was a way to break the curse, but had also feared the idea of doing so.

What if he broke the curse and all those lost travelers were transformed back to their former selves? Surely their Hylian bodies were broken and rotting by now and the last thing Link wanted was for The Lost Woods to become The Dead Woods. When no sound met his ears in response to his cry, Link continued walking forward until he saw the familiar fork in the path in front of him.

Taking a deep breath, Link headed through the fork to the left, into the Woods, recalling this path he'd taken through them toward the hedge maze at the other end in his youth for the first time. The hedge maze had always been home to the worst creatures dwelling within the woods.

"One thing at a time Link." He reminded himself. Something unsavory had gone on within the woods. It had always been a nasty place to walk through but this was a new level of evil, even for something already so dark and wicked. Perhaps someone was manipulating the power of the woods to their whim? Perhaps to take refuge in after they'd attacked the Queen of Hyrule? It was as good a theory as any other, Link thought.

Continuing ever forward, Link hummed to himself to break the unsettling silence. What had happened to the voices of the children who dwelled within the forest? Perhaps it had been another trick of the woods to lure strangers in with laughter and appealing sounds. Link thought that screams would've driven him in far faster and scared him way less than the creepy unearthly laughter of children that didn't exist.

Getting the shivers from the very idea of it, Link continued to hum the song that his childhood friend, Saria, one of the Kokiri children, had taught him so many years prior. Something creaked suddenly beneath Link's boots and he stopped and furrowed his brow in confusion.

He had stepped onto a bridge. Looking around, walking in a circle, Link wondered where he'd taken a wrong turn. There was no bridge leading into the woods. There had always been one going from the woods and into Kokiri Village, but never from the field to the woods. Had he accidentally taken the path to the right without meaning to? Perhaps he'd become confused by the fog.

Even then, Link knew he hadn't missed his turn. There were forces at work far greater than the Lost Woods at this moment. Link had always suspected benevolent forces were ultimately at work with the woods, protecting something inside of it and keeping strangers from stumbling upon it and using it for their ill will. But whatever this force was that had taken him somewhere he didn't recognize was something entirely different and far less benevolent.

Link thought he must have been on the right track. Someone didn't want him to get through the woods. Whoever had attacked Zelda could be behind the darkness and the fog corrupting the woods and they most certainly would want him to think he'd gotten lost. Taking a determined step forward, Link knew if he followed the path he'd grown familiar with he would make his way through the woods as he always did so he pressed onward. Over the years, he'd learned to never doubt his instincts.

When he reached the middle of the bridge, the creaking intensified before there was a very sudden snap. The ropes holding the bridge up behind him had split and broken, too frail to be walked upon by someone carrying as much bulk as Link did daily with his sword, shield, quiver, bow and various other weaponry.

Scrambling in an attempt to grab onto the wooden planks of the bridge beneath his feet to catch himself, it was too late and Link found he wasn't fast enough. He fell to the ground below, which was surprisingly not as far as he had expected it to be, but still far enough that when his head smacked against one of the many rocks in the stream flowing beneath the bridge met the back of his head, the world instantly turned black around him.

The unconsciousness didn't linger very long and when he awoke, Link shot up, his hat having fallen off of his head and into the water beneath him. Feeling his head aching and throbbing, he instantly brought his hand to the bump that was forming on the back of his head just above his neck. Feeling moisture, Link was at first afraid that he'd started bleeding but when he brought his hand into view he saw there was nothing but water from the stream against the back of his head. Sighing with relief, Link groped for his hat which took him a few moments to find in the ever intensifying fog.

He had thought that it couldn't get any thicker but nature had proven him wrong seeing as Link could only see about a foot in front of his nose, if that. Finding his hat finally, he wondered how on earth such fog was being created. There was a crack of thunder overhead so loud and close that the world shook beneath him. Looking around Link wondered if now he'd have to watch out for lightning which seemed nearly impossible within the fog. He hadn't seen the bolt that had preceded the thunder that seemed so close.

Deciding his best bet was to get away from the water and get back onto his path Link found the fallen bridge and tugged on it to test its strength. The ropes tied to the opposite side of the bridge seemed sturdy enough. Grabbing the planks and deciding that he would use them like the rungs of a ladder, he slowly climbed his way up, despite the colossal headache that had started to form from the blow he'd taken.

Reminding himself that he had done much more difficult tasks with much worse wounds, Link cocked a confident smile. It was kind of nice to get back to having adventures and risking his life. Did that make him a terrible person? He enjoyed the thrill of the danger and potential death he faced during his adventures. Maybe he hadn't been built for monotony.

Looking up through the fog to try and find the ledge he was meaning to climb upon originally, Link yelped and nearly let go of the bridge. Reaffirming his grip when his hands started to slip, Link returned his gaze to what had startled him in the first place.

The woman he'd captured for attacking the Queen was standing at the top of the ledge, glancing down at him, her hands on her hips, neither one of them offering him a hand up onto the ledge.

"Holy…" Link took a deep breath before continuing up the rest of the ladder, once he realized that the woman wasn't making any effort to help him out. His head was throbbing and swimming. "You scared the hell out of me!"

"Well that's what you get for ignoring me." She folded her arms over her chest and looked at him in a mixture of annoyance and curiosity. What was he doing in the woods? Why was he climbing the ladder? Had he been hurt in his fall? She'd seen the form of someone below in the stream, silhouetted against the fog when lightning had struck nearly a foot away from her but she'd had no idea who it was until he'd suddenly emerged on the ledge through the fog, ultimately scaring the crap out of her.

"Ignoring you? It was very nice of you to help me out and everything." Link rolled his eyes and readjusted his moistened hat, rubbing at the sore spot on the back of his head again with a pout.

"Help you out? What do you think me yelling to ask if you were alright down there was then if not helping, huh?"

"Yelling to help me? You didn't yell for me. It's not that far down you know. I would've heard something like that! Don't lie to try and look better."

"Well, clearly you didn't hear me because I saw someone down there and yelled to see if they needed help. Though if I'd known it was you I probably would've left you there." Pursing her lips in annoyance, she stood her ground. Link let his mouth hang open in surprise. He had never encountered anyone who talked to him quite like that before. People had always been grateful to see him or asked him for help where this woman had made it clear that she didn't like a single thing about him.

"What are you doing in the woods anyway?" Link asked, deciding that it was best to leave that comment untouched. Would she really have left him there if he'd needed help? Something told him she was full of it. "Don't you know this place is off limits to strangers? As if the ominous fog wasn't enough to ward people off…"

"I'm exploring." She shrugged her shoulders. Link once again stared at her like she had six heads.

"You're _exploring_?"

"That's what I said, are you hard of hearing?"

"Meandering in the Lost Woods on its worst day is exploring to you?"

"You're in here aren't you? Exploring? On The Lost Wood's worst day, as a matter of fact." The girl shook her head condescendingly. "What, the great hero of time is the only one who can hold their own in The Lost Woods?"

"You are _not_ exploring, you're full of it." Link accused, pointing an irritated finger at her, the other hand on the back of his head to once again rub at his wound.

"Yeah, because you're such an excellent judge of character, obviously." The girl finally turned away from Link and started away from the bridge and further into the forest, partially knowing he was going to follow her.

"Actually I am an excellent judge of character. I sort of have to be given the circumstances." Link dusted himself off of the muck and grime that had gotten on him when he'd fallen into the stream below the bridge and followed after her. "And I know that you wouldn't stop on your way to Gerudo Valley without good reason."

"Is that so?"

"You're too selfish."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what it is." The girl scoffed and turned around to face him. "Do you always make wild accusations toward the people who try to help you out?"

"Help me out? You stood there while I climbed up that bridge and nearly made me fall because you scared me!"

"I didn't see you through the fog until you were halfway on the ledge already! You think you're the only one startled by something jumping out of the mist?"

"You said you saw me in the stream below!"

"I saw a figure silhouetted when lightning struck, that's all. When you didn't respond I wasn't sure if it was the forest playing a trick on me or not and then suddenly you're on the bridge at my feet." Sighing heavily the girl continued marching through the woods, deciding it wasn't worth her energy to argue with him any further.

"Okay, okay!" Link hadn't intended to chase the woman away. The woods seemed less creepy now that he wasn't alone. Grabbing her wrist and stopping her from continuing forward, Link was surprised when she twisted his arm and pulled him around in a circle, tugging his arm behind his back. "Hey! Ouch!"

"You Hylians all have a personal space issue." The girl let go of him and took a deep breath.

"Well, I think you have some kind of an overreaction problem on top of that." Link added. "But, but wait…" When he saw the girl's temper flaring up again he held his hands in front of him defensively once he'd turned to face her again. "I think that we may have gotten rotten first impressions of each other."

"You _think_, genius?"

"Yeah, I do. I tackled you and accused you of a crime you didn't commit and I'm sorry! Though to be fair you kicked the crap out of me in the forest."

"Do all of your apologies come followed with a reason as to why you're not _actually_ sorry?"

"No, that's not what I meant." Link groaned in annoyance. Despite how she was grating on his nerves, Link had to admit that it was kind of entertaining to talk to someone who didn't constantly agree with him or act reasonably and level headed. He'd gotten so used to Impa and Zelda treating him like something sweet and courageous he'd forgotten that there were other sorts of confrontations that were just as exhilarating.

"Well, then what _did_ you mean?"

"I simply meant that we both jumped to conclusions upon meeting and did things nastier than we should've."

"You should've just said that instead of what you actually said." The girl finally released the anger she'd built up and heaved a sigh in an attempt to relax. "Are you trying to say that we should start over?"

"Yeah, that's exactly what I was getting to." Link smiled proudly. The air was already less tense and stressful between them now that she'd stopped taking the defensive to everything he said.

"I'm starting to think you're not very good with words, Mr. Hero." The girl said after a moment of thought. Link couldn't help but laugh even if he was being insulted.

"Are you always this mean?"

"I prefer the term honest."

"You can be honest without being mean."

"Not that I've found."

"I'm Link." He held his hand out for the woman to shake and she took it reluctantly after a second.

"I'm Izzy." The girl shook his hand and squeezed it firmly before pulling her hand back.

"Izzy? That's nice. Is it short for Isabel or Isabella?"

"It's Izzy, that's all you need to know."

"You know, you don't have to get defensive _every_ time I say something." Link chuckled, amused by this woman.

"I'm _not_ defensive… Okay I am a _little_ defensive but, that's just how I am." Izzy shrugged her shoulders again and then nodded toward the woods behind her. "What are _you_ doing in here anyway?"

"Searching for the man who attacked the Queen." Link answered simply. He hadn't intended on telling her anything but if he expected her to be honest with him he figured he should grant her the same courtesy.

"Yeah, any luck with that? I'm not sure how good you'd be at tracking someone down anyway since you thought I did it."

"I thought we had started over."

"It doesn't mean I'm going to be nice to you." Izzy shifted her feet and glanced behind him.

"Oh I see how it is."

"Do you? Look, hero, maybe this wasn't a good idea."

"Come on, we're both lost. If we stick together maybe we won't get turned into Stalfos." Link urged, his voice on edge once again. Despite it all, he smiled. He had never met anyone with such distaste for him who wasn't out to kill him before. It was a nice change of pace. Link wondered if that meant he was a little screwed up in the head. He guessed he had to be to have gone through what he'd been through and still be in good spirits.

"Fine. Let's travel together but I reserve the right to hit you if you get annoying."

"Only if you grant me the same privilege."

"Fair enough. Just to warn you though, I've got a pretty mean punch." Izzy sighed. "So where to, hero?"

"This way." Link started through the path in his memory, despite how different things looked.

"I thought you said you were lost?" Izzy immediately doubted his judgment.

"You asked me where to go!"

"I just want to know what makes you so sure. Now whose defensive hero?"

"My name is Link." He corrected.

"Just tell me why we're going this way and I'll go okay?"

"Fine, Izzy. I'm following the path through the woods. It looks different than it used to but I think that whatever is causing this fog is manipulating the woods. The path should, in theory, still be the same. Why, what was your plan? Wander until the woods consumed you?"

"Yeah that sounds about right." Izzy actually smiled.

"You never did say why you were in here." The two finally started on their way on the path that Link had grown so familiar with, walking carefully to make sure there were no more incidents like the one on the bridge.

"Didn't I?"

"You skirted around answering like your life depended on it."

"You are a master of exaggeration." Izzy narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow in an attempt to see through the fog. Link waited to answer until the echoing clap of thunder above them had silenced. Once again, he hadn't seen the lightning that had caused the thunder, but it had to have been close given how the ground shook beneath them.

"So how did you end up in the woods?"

"I heard something." Izzy shrugged.

"Yeah, like what?"

"A child." Izzy continued on and before Link could take the opportunity to make fun of her for being soft or something, since she saw the corners of his mouth upturn in amusement she continued on. "I had stopped to look anyway since… Well you don't see fog like this every day."

"That's for sure."

"I contemplated coming in anyway so I could explore." Izzy kept walking. It wasn't her first time in The Lost Woods, having been guided by maps prior to this time. If the fog hadn't been in her way, she would've been able to find her way through. "I've always liked this place but the fog posed an excellent new adventure. Then I heard kids actually calling to me. I knew something had to have been amiss in here so I threw caution to the wind and decided… what the hell right?"

Link had stopped walking a moment prior, resting his hand on his belt, thinking about what she'd said.

"You consider this exploring?"

"Yeah, don't you? Are you confused to what that word means? This is like… the third time you've asked me that." Izzy stopped and turned to face him.

"Don't you know what they say about these woods? How dangerous it is in here?"

"Of course I do, who doesn't? What, you think just because I'm a woman that I can't handle a little danger and mystery?"

"No, that's not it at all. You are _so_ defensive." Link laughed in disbelief then walked to catch up with Izzy. "You'd risk your life just to explore some fog?" A smile crept over Izzy's face finally.

"Oh come on, you wouldn't?" She laughed, looking like the answer was simple. "Do you always take the easy road, hero?"

"Link."

"Does it matter?"

"Yes, it does."

"Anyway, come on… I see it in you." Izzy pointed an accusing finger at the hero and stepped closer. "You live for the thrill of danger. You're the type to jump without looking, to act first and ask questions later. Even if you weren't looking for this man who attacked your precious Queen you'd be in here exploring once you saw the fog… just for the hell of it." Link looked surprised and straightened his back to lean away from the accusing finger that got closer to him. "Don't deny it hero, you love the excitement of adventure."

When Link didn't respond, Izzy smiled triumphantly and turned away from him. "The air is cooler down here, maybe this way?"

Link stood fixed in place for a moment, thinking about what the woman had said. Maybe that was true. He'd always been the kind of person to run _toward_ trouble instead of _away_ from it. Why hadn't he noticed that about himself? Maybe it was because people kept telling him how selfless and wonderful he was that he hadn't realized he'd had selfish intentions the entire time. Or maybe this woman who wouldn't even use his name was tricking him into thinking he was selfish.

But why would she do that? What could she possibly gain?

"Hello?" Izzy waved her hand in front of face, having walked back toward him. "Hyrule to the Hero of Time, are you still there or are you already turning into a Deku Scrub or something?"

"What? Oh no, I was just trying to think." Link shook his head, pushing the thought away for a moment. "Yeah, this way. It's cooler? I didn't notice until you pointed it out."

"Maybe that's because you're wearing three hundred layers of clothing and chain mail."

"Trust me, it's come in handy when you live like I do." Link chuckled and started down the path. "And I would be a Stalfos, for the record."

"What?" Izzy didn't turn to face him but instead continued walking.

"You told me I'd be turning into a Deku Scrub. I'd turn into a Stalfos Knight. We both know that."

"You spit crap out of your mouth as often as a Deku Scrub, are you so sure?"

"Ha ha, you're so funny." Link rolled his eyes. Izzy had been about to respond when they both heard a shriek far off to the left. Staring in the direction of the scream, they listened for a second cry. When none came, they exchanged glances. Both had their hands on the hilts of their swords, prepared to do away with any evil doers that emerged from the fog.

"…maybe it was the forest playing a trick on us." Izzy theorized after a moment.

"Yeah, that has to be it…" Link had his doubts. The scream hadn't sounded like it was in need of any help. Instead, it had sounded like an angry creature expressing its rage at them for having made it this far into the forest. "I have a bad feeling. Let's keep going."

"See, I told you that you leapt before you looked." Izzy started walking with Link but then stopped when a second scream echoed through the forest around them.

"What the hell…" Link whispered under his breath.

"That's it. I'm done playing games with this forest." Izzy pulled her sword from its sheath and started toward the direction of the scream.

"That's what it wants! To draw you off the path! I thought you knew the stories about The Lost Woods, Izzy!" Link reached to snatch Izzy's wrist as he had done earlier but she'd managed to dodge him, anticipating that he would try to stop her.

"It's trying to scare us into staying away from it not lure us closer to it, hero. I'm _not_ scared so I'm going to make it shut up."

"Really? I kinda am." Link hurried after the woman, not pulling out his sword. He had no idea what type of villain they were in store for when they stepped off the path.

"That's the fun of it."

"I guess." Link shrugged after he thought about it, following Izzy closely through the forest. The fog started to fade and instead turned into a thick haze of darkness. "I think you were right… Something's hiding in here."

"You should learn to listen to me more often."

"I've known you for an hour." Link laughed, feeling the need to talk in hushed tones as if someone was listening in on every word they said.

"And you have ignored everything I've said since we met."

They walked slowly through the trees until they reached a clearing that Link recognized. It stood below them while they stood on the edge of a path high above it. The path looped around through rocks and trees down the side of the hill and into the clearing that was filled with scattered trees and overgrown grass.

"The illusion is broken here, I know where we are." Link whispered underneath his breath.

"Come on, something's down there waiting." Izzy started down the path. Link watched her go for a moment, trying to see the forest clearly through the fog and shadow that lingered in the air. After a second of hesitation he pulled out his bow, preparing himself to back the woman with her sword already out up if he needed to. Link stopped short, nearly stumbling as Izzy ran into him.

"What are you doing?"

"Don't think! Just jump!" Izzy's face was stricken with panic so Link didn't hesitate when she grabbed his arm and threw him to the ground, throwing herself next to him after a moment and covering her head defensively. About to ask what the panic had been about, Link felt the ground shake and something loud explode behind them. Covering his ears a second too late he could hear ringing and then felt small stones, dirt, and gravel falling on his back from the explosion followed by sticks and leaves raining down around them.

After Izzy thought it was safe she turned onto her back and hopped to her feet and explained herself, her sword once again in her right hand.

"The perimeter was lined with explosives, I had already tripped them when I realized they were there!" Izzy was out of breath, her face pale but determined.

"What?" Link shuffled to his feet, still holding his bow with a white knuckled grip. "You tripped it? Like with a wire?"

"Or magic." Izzy whispered in return. The dust from the explosion cleared, the fog having gone with it, revealing a mass of shadow, numerous glowing red lights within it, almost like eyes.

When they took a step closer to inspect the clearing, the ground shook, the trees creaking and bending threateningly. An unearthly voice seemingly coming from the ground spoke in a language neither one of them recognized.

"What the hell did it just say?" Izzy sneered, not backing down but certainly shaken by the power of the voice.

"I don't know, but I get the strong feeling that it was telling us to go away." Link narrowed his eyes. Before either could continue talking the glowing red eyes disappeared into the shadowy mass and it shrunk down low to the ground. In an instant it stretched into the air, something round flying out the top of it. Link and Izzy looked into the air to see what had flown out of the shadow creature. Widening his eyes in realization Link shoved Izzy away from him and dove to the ground again.

A black bomb hit the ground where they'd been sitting and several others around the perimeter as it must have done when Izzy had approached it prior to this. They waited for the shower of dirt to finish raining down on them before they both got to their feet.

"Alright, I've had enough." Link got on his feet and in a flash had pulled an arrow from his quiver which he aimed in his bow toward the creature. Pulling the string taut he aimed and the let the arrow fly, hitting its mark dead on. Smirking confidently, Link glanced over at Izzy as if to gloat. Izzy rolled her eyes and pointed to the beast.

"Nice shot, hero, but something tells me that wasn't enough." Izzy watched the shadowy mass collapse onto the ground and groan hauntingly.

"Looks pretty dead to me, thank you very much." Link drew a second arrow as quickly as he'd drawn the first and held his bow aimed at the beast. The shadowy created laid on the ground with the arrow sticking out of what seemed like it could be its face for a long moment before suddenly the arrow sunk into the shadow, disappearing as though it had never been there in the first place.

"Really? It looks like you just fed it a tasty snack." Izzy bounced on the tips of her toes, nervous and ready to flee if things started exploding again.

"Trust me, I hit it dead on. I _never_ miss my mark."

"Oh come on, you _can't_ be that cocky." Izzy rolled her eyes. Before Link could argue with Izzy the shadowy mass rose from the ground and stretched taller than it had before, expanding across nearly the entire length of the clearing. Link and Izzy stared in awe at what looked like a large gaping dark mouth, now howling in front of them. Link let a second arrow fly into the mouth of the creature but all it did was howl louder than it had before in aggravation.

In an instant, dozens of arrows came flying from within the mouth of the creature toward Link and Izzy. Having had the feeling that something nasty was going to happen, Izzy took to a run, ducking and jumping quickly to avoid the arrows that came flying toward her. She found refuge behind a large boulder near the entrance to the clearing. Link on the other hand had stared stunned at the beast and was too slow to lift his shield. An arrow struck him in the shoulder and though the sickening thud of the arrow meeting his flesh had disgusted him, he reaffirmed his grip on his shield and hid behind it, listening to the clink of the metallic arrowheads bouncing off of his gold plated mirror shield.

The barrage of arrows seemingly ended so Link dared to peek out from behind his shield, his shoulder throbbing painfully but nowhere near bad enough to stop him from trying to take the monster down. He'd use the adrenaline to his advantage if he could. Plus, now that his shoulder was throbbing, the bump on the back of his head didn't seem so significant.

"Izzy! Are you alright?" The woman didn't carry a shield, Link recalled and he was partially worried that she didn't make it out. "Izzy?"

"I'm fine!" She called from the ledge above him, peeking her head down at him. "Ouch." Scrunching up her face she acknowledged the arrow in his shoulder.

"I'm alright, thanks for asking." Link groaned and considered pulling the arrow from his shoulder but knew that it would only gush and weaken him if he did. The arrow would have to wait until this creature had fallen.

"I've got this." Izzy jumped from the ledge above him and moved to the edge of the clearing, leaping carefully onto one of the few trees inside the clearing. Balancing on the branches, she drew her sword from its sheath with her right hand.

"Don't do anything stupid." Link hissed, getting to his feet, keeping his shield on his arm. Deciding that shooting arrows at the beast would only result in a second barrage of them, he contemplated what else he could do. Perhaps a different sort of arrow would help? He hadn't used the magical arrows he'd found on his adventure to free Hyrule from the clutches of Ganondorf since the night he'd fought the evil king.

Choosing to ignore Link, Izzy continued over the branches, hopping down them one by one until she reached the ground in the clearing, behind the shadow beast that had returned to its original size. It roared at them once again in a language neither one of the warriors understood. Before it got the chance to blow more of those bombs at them, Izzy swung her sword at the beast, thrusting the blade deep into the shadow. Making a face of disgust when the plunge echoed the sound of something meaty and fleshy instead of shadow as she had expected, she pulled her sword free of the darkness before slashing skillfully at the beast several more times.

Just as it had done when Link had shot the beast with arrows, it fell onto the ground, looking defeated. Link watched from the ledge above and decided to take a risk. Aiming his bow again, his shoulder pulling and tugging painfully from the arrow still lodged into it, he drew an arrow imbued with the power of light from his quiver and let it fly into the beast on the ground.

Izzy shielded her eyes when the arrow struck its target and filled the area in front of her with light. Blinking a few times to get the phantom spots of light from her vision she shot Link an angry look.

"Thanks for the warning!"

"Izzy, look out!" Link grimaced when the beast rose from the ground and took the shape of a warrior, shadowy looking blades in either hand. Izzy looked back to the creature just in time and managed to hold up her sword to block the blow of the phantom sword as it came down against her.

"What is this thing?" Shouting in frustration, Izzy did her best to block each blow and then decided it was time to try and get away from the beast. If it was doing what she thought it was doing, then in a few seconds it was going to release some of those blinding arrows Link had shot at it.

Guiding the beast toward the tree during their sword fight, she looped around the tree trunk and struck a blow to the back of the beast before grabbing onto the branch above her and quickly swinging herself on top of it. With every intention of climbing back up the tree to get to the same ledge that Link stood on behind his shield, she jumped to the second branch but yelped in surprise when the shadowy warrior met her on top of the branch and swung the sword toward her.

Izzy reacted quickly and was able to duck and grab onto the bottom of the branch, swinging herself back onto the branch closest to the ground. She was able to hold her sword up just in time to be able to block the oncoming attack but was surprised when the hilt of the shadowy sword smashed into her forehead.

Dazed, she fell off of the bottom branch and onto her back on the ground. Instinctively she rubbed her head to make sure it wasn't bleeding only to find that it was. Not having the time to think about that, she shuffled to her feet and held up her sword just in time.

"Now what?" Izzy yelled, dazed and trying to blink around the dizziness the blow to her head had caused. "I can't keep this up!"

"I have no idea! I thought the light arrow would work!" Link shouted from above. Deciding he couldn't watch the scene any longer despite his injury he hurried down the path and into the clearing, sword drawn but his grip was already weakened thanks to the arrow in his shoulder.

"Physical attacks will do you no good." An unfamiliar voice from the opposite end of the clearing addressed them. "This beast will take what physical damage it's received and not rest until it's returned it tenfold."

"Who the hell is that now?" Izzy cursed, out of breath. The effort of blocking and dodging the attacks from the shadowy warrior was starting to take its toll. She knew she could handle the swordfight for a period of time, but eventually she'd start tripping up her steps and taking damage.

"It won't stop until it has landed a blow and then as I'm sure you guessed, the arrows you fired into it will return to you."

"Where are you?" Link yelled, turning in place in an attempt to see who was talking to them and try to figure out if they were friend or foe. Stepping from the shadows at the opposite end of the clearing, the figure of a man appeared, silhouetted and still bathed in the shadows that seemed to form unnaturally around him.

"Get her out of the way." The voice spoke a second time before whispering in a language Link couldn't understand.

"Yeah, you tell that to the shadow thing!" Izzy grimaced, having put away her sword and taken to dodging the attacks instead of making poor attempts in returning them since the creature had made it clear she would get no such chance.

"Come here!" Link grabbed the arm of his companion and tugged her to the side very suddenly. Before the shadow warrior could turn on them, the ground started to shake around it and collapse, bringing the creature to its knees and howling again as it had done when it'd been attacked the first two times.

"Great now it's just going to bury us alive." Izzy hissed, pushing Link away and contemplated going after the creature again while it was wounded.

"Not if I don't give it the chance." Link pulled a small diamond shaped pendant from his pocket, a red ethereal glow coming from the center. Prepared to use the magic of the goddesses on the creature, Link rushed forward.

"Don't." The mystery voice instructed them again and before Link could take another step, orbs of light from the heavens appeared around the shadow creature, spinning in circles until they'd joined into one large mass. What looked like lightning came from the orb and struck the creature on the ground.

Seemingly appearing from the shadow on the ground cast by the tree, a man appeared, covered nearly from head to toe in a black cloak. Holding a gloved hand out toward the shadow creature, he grabbed hard onto one of the glowing red eyes of the creature. His hand shook and trembled and the howling from the creature grew louder and louder.

The entire clearing seemed to shake with whatever power struggle was going on. Watching in awe, Izzy stared mouth agape as the strange battle taking place in front of her against this shadowy beast.

"Get down." Link grabbed onto Izzy's shoulder and pulled her back down to the ground. He wasn't sure what powers were at work but he didn't want either of them to suffer through the backlash if they didn't have to.

Very suddenly the clearing grew silent and the beast disappeared from sight completely, seemingly sucked up into the hand of the man who had been battling it. Both Link and Izzy watched in surprise, unsure of how to react.

From where the shadow had been a red stone fell onto the ground, hissing and sizzling as though it'd be too hot to touch. In an instant the fog that had been plaguing the woods started to dissipate and clear and the misguiding illusions disappeared entirely, leaving only the man covered from head to toe in a dark cloak and the red glowing stone in the center of the clearing.


	4. Magic in Blood

Still feeling defensive even though the stranger had essentially saved their lives, the warrior duo watched the man warily as he stared at the spot where the creature had once stood. Stepping out of the shadows to formally introduce himself to Link and Izzy, the stranger that had saved their lives smiled pleasantly in hopes of relieving their nerves. His features were mostly hidden, since he had neglected to take off his cloak. They could both see that he had a kind smile across his face, the kind that enemies didn't usually wear. Izzy noticed immediately the peculiar glow to his eyes. The only thing she could think to compare it to was the sparkling of stars in the night sky.

Instantly Link felt more at ease and less threatened than he had when he'd watched the display of raw power this man had against the shadow beast. He wasn't sure how he would've managed to take on such a powerful enemy when he was already wounded. If the man hadn't shown up they would've been toast. Though on the other hand, looks had been incredibly deceiving lately. They were looking for a man enraptured in shadow. Could this be the man who attacked the Queen? Link felt his nerves on edge, but had a gut feeling that the man who had helped them was genuine.

Izzy on the other hand hadn't put her sword away but instead had reaffirmed her grip upon it. She didn't trust the newcomer despite the fact that he'd risked his life to help them defeat the shadow creature. She firmly believed that enemies came in all shapes and sizes and the worst villains rarely looked as wicked as they were. Those who thought evil wore a giant sign that claimed they were villains were idiots. Link, no longer feeling threatened by the beast, allowed his body to feel the pain that had been caused by the arrow that had struck his shoulder during the battle. It ached horribly and stung annoyingly; wearing on him the longer he stayed standing upright. Everything in his body was telling him to take a seat and get some rest.

"Who are you?" Izzy sounded as defensive as she looked.

"You really don't trust _anyone_ do you?" Link didn't bother looking to his counterpart.

"Go sit down or something and stop trying to be all tough. You're useless to me right now." She didn't turn her gaze away from the cloaked stranger. Link wasn't going to sit down but he wasn't going to stay at the forefront of a potential fight either. Izzy was only half wrong about his current state. Link, though wounded, was definitely _not_ useless but he was definitely not up to par either and would risk further harm during a fight.

"You can put your sword away, madam. I have no intentions of harming you or your friend." The stranger didn't seem to be offended by Izzy's distrust, in fact he seemed understanding.

"And I should just take your word for it?" Izzy countered with a sneer.

"Come on Izzy, he said he wouldn't hurt us."

"Oh and you think he won't just because he said he wouldn't? Really, how did you get by all these years?" Izzy threw Link a wide eyed look of disbelief before turning back to the stranger.

"She's right." The man in the cloak bowed his head respectfully. "You have no reason to trust me on merely my word, but I assure you that I mean you no harm."

"If you wish so badly to be trusted, then tell me who you are." Izzy wore a smug smirk, just pleased to see Link pout when the stranger had corrected him.

"My name is Tenameru." He bowed his head again politely and held his hand to his chest as he did so. "I am a doomed warrior, beckoned by the royal family to serve them thanks to my proud lineage." Tenameru smiled pleasantly.

"Why are you hiding under your cloak? Izzy slowly sheathed her sword, but kept her hand on the hilt of it just in case he went back on his word.

"I told you, I am a doomed warrior. I will explain in due time all that you desire to know."

"What was that thing?" Link asked, wondering if perhaps this man was one of the Sheikah that Impa had told him about. He hadn't heard anything about them being doomed to their fate, but perhaps they were. It had never been something Link considered before. Hadn't the Sheikah always been proud to serve the royal family? Why would this man say they were doomed? Then again, that was assuming he was a Sheikah and not something else.

"I don't know what they're called exactly. I've only seen them in old texts written in ancient Hylian which I can't read on my own. My parents called them shadow beasts, which leaves a lot to the imagination, you can guess." Tenameru glanced at Link, eyeing the arrow in his shoulder.

"Sounds pretty accurate though, if you ask me." Izzy considered the name given then nodded her head to agree.

"Isn't it though?" Tenameru chuckled.

"I used magic with my arrows to try and get rid of it. Why did _your_ magic work when mine didn't?" Link cocked an eyebrow curiously, finally giving into the urge to sit down and lean against a nearby tree. His shoulder was throbbing and he could feel the blood trickling down from the entry wound. He would have to take care of the wound sooner rather than later.

"Ah, you didn't use the proper type of magic. You see, that beast in particular had no power until it had been attacked."

"What do you mean? It seemed pretty powerful to me." Izzy seemed less defensive and more curious than anything. She'd chosen to trust this man who had done his best to protect them. After all, he hadn't given them a reason not to trust him.

"When you shot an arrow into the creature it learned your skills and returned with its own similar attacks. If you hadn't attacked it then it never would've been able to hurt you. It simply would've warned you to get away in its native language."

"Alright, then why did it shoot bombs at us when we got close to it? We hadn't attacked it at that point." Izzy spoke over Link who was about to ask the same question.

"My guess is that whoever summoned this beast to do its bidding had set up some kind of explosion to go off when anyone got close to the creature. It wanted to give the beast a way to defend itself if stumbled upon."

"That's clever." Izzy looked partially impressed. "But, if that's the case, shouldn't your magic have had the same effect?"

"You're right. It would have but…" Reaching inside of his dark cloak, Tenameru pulled out a moon shaped necklace, holding it up for Izzy to see. "I absorbed the shadow of this creature into my necklace. The only way to defeat such a creature is to absorb the magical creature within something else magical. It will remain trapped within this necklace for all eternity, unless I choose to release it. I shall instead, research and find a way to destroy it forever so it can no longer do anyone any harm."

"Do you mind if I take a closer look?" Izzy pointed at the necklace. Tenameru nodded his head and allowed Izzy to touch the glowing moon shape that hung around his neck. Tracing the shape of it she cocked her head to the side curiously, noting the small detailed carvings along the exterior of the necklace. Tenameru seemed pleased that the woman was so interested in what he'd done to the creature.

"It's powerful magic in itself that necklace, and it has been passed down for generations within my family since the days where my distant relatives served beneath the King and Queen of this land." Tenameru smiled.

"What about the other magic you used?"

"That is also passed down to me through blood."

"That's a pretty impressive gift." Izzy handed the necklace back to Tenameru so that it wouldn't smack against him when she let go of it.

"It is both a gift and a curse." Tenameru shook his head.

"How is it a curse? You mentioned before that you are a _doomed_ warrior. That sounds awfully harsh." Izzy's curiosity continued and she seemed to forget all about the fact that Link was practically laying on the ground wounded and bloody.

"All magic comes with a price. That's why those with magic choose to sometimes pass their gifts into personal objects so that whatever the backlash is may be inflicted only to the object. The problem with that being…"

"That whoever gets their hand on the item with the magic in it can use it." Izzy nodded knowingly.

"Very good. You're a fast learner."

"Thanks. So what price do you pay for your magic?" Izzy shrugged, pondering this and wondering what other mundane objects lying around could Hyrule could possibly contain magical properties.

"You see, not all magic can be transferred into objects. Magic is often too powerful to be contained with one solid object and requires life to feed off of in order to exist." Tenameru held his hands close to his chest and acknowledged himself. "My magic in particular is extensive and so it requires me to give up a very precious gift. I, as my forefathers before me, am unable to withstand sunlight."

"You can't go into the sun? Well, that sucks… and explains a lot." Izzy winced.

"That is correct. I have learned to live with it over the years by keeping myself covered entirely at all times. Artificial light is a different matter entirely. Only sunlight affects me so when I'm indoors I can dress properly. You must have thought I was being shady when I didn't remove my hood but I'm afraid it would cause me a considerable amount of pain."

"Well, you definitely should've opened with that. Now it makes perfect sense." Izzy laughed pleasantly.

"Yes, though it is often an awkward conversation starter. It's my burden to bear and I am sorry that I didn't instantly tell you what my intentions were. I've gotten used to being around people who simply know of my affliction."

"Well, thank you for taking care of that thing for us. We had no idea what we were going to do. It would've gotten the best of us."

"You're correct. It is lucky that I took this path through the woods on my way to the castle in this land. You otherwise wouldn't have been able to defeat the creature." Tenameru smiled then continued. "Oh and you are welcome. It was exciting to use my powers for a change. At home I didn't find occasion to do so at all. It's been years since we were called to action."

"Hey, I'm _bleeding_ back here if anyone cares." Link spoke up after several attempts to gain attention by clearing his throat. Finally tired of being ignored, Link couldn't help but have an edge to his voice.

Izzy turned to look at Link, having forgotten he was there at all and smirked at how distraught he looked. It wasn't that she enjoyed seeing him in pain but it was the first time she'd seen true annoyance from him. She guessed that the mighty hero wasn't always the saint people praised him to be.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that." Izzy addressed Tenameru once again. "I'm Izzy and this is Link." She nodded toward where Link was laying on the ground.

"Yeah that's all well and good. Hello, hi, good to meet you… I think we're past that." Link winced, touching the stalk of the arrow plunged into his shoulder.

"Oh, calm down you big baby." Izzy rolled her eyes, walking over to where Link had taken a seat on the ground.

"If you like, I could help you take care of the wound. It looks pretty painful. My guess is there was poison to cripple you on the tip of the arrow. Magic often taints such things." Tenameru walked over to Link as well.

"Poison?" Link widened his eyes. He hadn't thought much when the wound had started to become extensively painful. Though he'd done much more with worse, he figured it had only hurt so badly since he'd been in a fight just the day before or perhaps because he hadn't suffered such a severe wound in a very long time.

"That is only a guess. Izzy would you mind helping me with the arrow? I'm afraid that I'm a little squeamish when it comes to blood." Tenameru chuckled.

"This really isn't funny, guys." Link grimaced. Izzy sighed heavily and knelt down next to Link.

"Yes, if I must." Grabbing onto the stalk of the arrow, Izzy started to tug when Link very suddenly grabbed onto her wrist to stop her.

"No wait!" He widened his eyes in surprise.

"What?"

"I'll do it." He pouted, trying to swat her hand away.

"Oh come on, it'll feel better once it's out."

"You're going to be mean about it, I can tell." Link objected immediately. Izzy wriggled her wrist free and before Link could object further had tugged the arrow intact out of his shoulder. "Holy…" Link gritted his teeth and stifled a string of curses under his breath.

"That wasn't so hard, now _was_ it?"

"Easy for you to say… you sadist." Link gritted his teeth and hissed in misery.

"Are you always this nice to people who are willing to help you? It's really a wonder you've made it this far. You're welcome by the way." Izzy stuck her tongue out at him then reached into the bag on her hip, pulling out what looked like antiseptic.

"Helping me? I think you're making me worse!" Link accused in frustration. Link had suffered from arrow wounds before, but something about this one stung worse than he recalled. Perhaps it was the poison that Tenameru had mentioned.

"Oh yes, I'm poisoning you by cleaning your wound with this terrible and horribly dreadful antiseptic. I could just use some salt instead if you preferred." Izzy chuckled, cleaning the edge of the wound before discarding the now filthy cloth. Tenameru watched quietly in amusement as the two bickered.

"Give me one moment." Tenameru waited for Izzy to move out of his way, holding his gloved palm over the wound on Link's shoulder. Closing his eyes he concentrated for a long moment. A red light extended across the palm of his hand, tracing over his fingers in the shape of what seemed like muscular tissue then spread below his hand, singing the wound on Link's shoulder.

Link cursed from the burning pain and gripped at the grass beneath him, pulling much of it out of the ground, seeing stars in his vision for a moment. He'd be damned if he passed out. Tenameru pulled his hand away a moment later and smiled down at Link.

"There. The poison has been neutralized and your wound will heal in a few hours. Magic can often accelerate the healing process, but again it comes at a price. The pain you felt was the price you had to pay for such a gift." Tenameru got back to his feet.

"You could've warned me first, you know." Link took several deep breaths to try and calm down.

"And you could be grateful to no longer be poisoned." Izzy pulled gauze out of her bag and wrapped the wound, purposely pulling and pushing at his shoulder to further irritate him. "You're being rude."

"_I'm_ being rude?" Link looked at the woman in shock, though to be fair she had been incredibly kind to the stranger since she'd put her sword away. He was about to comment on the fact that she was wrapping his wound over his clothing but decided he would only get further grief if he did. Turning his attention back to Tenameru he collected his thoughts. "How did that thing get into the Lost Woods in the first place? And why do you know so damn much about it?"

"Only a powerful sorcerer could have summoned such a creature. I've only read about them in texts passed on through my family over the years. My parents taught me about them years ago before their deaths."

"You're Sheikah training right?" Link frowned, though he had to admit now that his wound had been cleaned up he felt world's better. He got to his feet, ignoring the hand up that Izzy offered to assist him.

"Yes! You know of the Sheikah?" Tenameru looked pleasantly surprised by this new turn of events.

"I do. If you saw the messages left in the towns nearby, my friend Impa left them for people like you to find." Link attempted in vain to fix the damage that had been done to his shirt from the arrow and the cleaning.

"You must be trusted by the royal family to know that much about us." Tenameru smiled despite the annoyed tone Link spoke to him in.

"I am the hero of time." Link smiled for the first time, still proud of the title he'd been given.

"Oh, I had heard of your existence but never expected to run into you in my travels." Tenameru nodded and bowed his head in greeting after he spoke. Izzy walked around Tenameru and toward the spot where the beast had fallen. Leaning down she dug around in the grass for a moment. Link could practically _feel_ her rolling her eyes at him and hear her thoughts of what a snobby brat he was. Watching her for a moment, he noted that the cut on her forehead looked pretty nasty. He wondered if Tenameru would help with that.

"So you think that someone summoned that creature and left it in the woods on purpose?" Link cleared his throat and rubbed the side of his nose, attempting to change the subject.

"I do. In fact, I know that's the only way it could've been brought here. Creatures such as that have not existed in this world in thousands of years. They were only rumors until this moment! I only know it because of how fascinated I had been with the books my parents had given me. While I don't remember all that had been said about the creature, it looks exactly like the drawings in the book."

"You said the books were in ancient Hylian…" Link looked curious, wondering if the man could read the dead language.

"Yes, they are and before you ask, I do not read the script. That language is lost to even us Sheikah. My parents have translations of the books written in our modern script."

"Do those books ever say why someone would summon a shadow beast?" Link thought it made sense that the creature had such a silly, to the point, name now that he knew it was only a translation from a dead language.

"No, but my guess is that they are trying to destroy this forest to find something else hidden within it. I don't want to assume things, but have you heard the legends about the Lost Woods?"

"I know of them, but no one knows what's hidden here." Link shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm sure there must be texts about what's hidden somewhere." Tenameru pondered the idea, curious himself to what this magician could have been looking for.

"Good luck finding any. Nearly everything important in Hyrule has been destroyed, thanks to Ganondorf."

"Ah yes, the dark king… I doubt he would've had access to something so terribly important. The Sheikah of old times knew how important these things would be. I bet you anything they were hidden and only one of royal descent can access them." Tenameru glanced over at Izzy who was on her knees digging in the grass. She'd sworn she had seen something drop from the beast when it'd been absorbed.

When such a beast was vanquished, all of its physical belongings were often left behind. While Izzy was hoping for something worth selling, she would be pleased just to know she hadn't been seeing things. Then she found just the thing she was looking for: a glowing red jewel with familiar looking script on the side of it.

"Well in that case you should visit the Queen. She's the only surviving descendent." Link sighed heavily, then snapped his fingers in realization. "Wait a second. A dark man attacked the Queen earlier…"

"Do you think that maybe this dark man and the sorcerer who summoned such atrocities to this forest are one in the same?" Tenameru finished Link's thought.

"I could be wrong, but I think it's possible. It's the only lead I've got so I might as well follow it right?"

"I agree with you completely." Tenameru smiled softly.

"Damnit!" Link and Tenameru turned around when Izzy cried out in pain. She'd picked up the stone to get a closer look at the script to see if it said anything or could be deciphered but it had instantly caused her pain.

Tenameru rushed over to the girl and picked up her palm which was smoking and looked painful, like she'd been burned. Instantly trying to pull her hand away, Tenameru tugged it closer, forcing Izzy to drop the stone to the ground. Link walked over to join them curious of what happened and picked up the stone that had fallen to the ground.

"Who's being the baby now?" Link tossed the blackened and charred rock into the air and caught it easily.

"She is not being a baby." Tenameru moved to the side so that Link could look at woman's scorched and destroyed glove. "Do you mind?" He acknowledged the glove and Izzy shook her head no. Tenameru tugged the glove off of her hand and showed Link the reason for Izzy's pain. Her hands were visibly trembling from the ache of whatever was happening.

It looked like a fine point burning hot needle was carving something into the palm of the woman's hand. The symbol of the Triforce had already been carved into the back of her hand and now on her palm were four circular designs forming, all connected by intricate line work. After the design had been carved, the topmost circular design filled itself in blood red.

"What the hell is happening?" Izzy winced, wanting to close her hand but every time she tried to bend her fingers to do so it caused her pain.

"I don't know…" Link looked befuddled. He'd never seen anything like it before. Deciding it couldn't hurt to ask, he then looked over at Tenameru. "Any ideas?"

Tenameru held up a hand to silence Link and Izzy for a moment then reached inside of his cloak to pull out the moon shaped necklace he'd shown the woman earlier. The glow it'd carried after it'd absorbed the creature had disappeared entirely and it was simply a plain looking moon necklace. There was nothing magical about it, it seemed.

"…there's no way." Tenameru furrowed his brow then looked back at Izzy who seemed confused and annoyed, though the pained look on her face was starting to fade.

"What? What happened?" Izzy wanted to know and now that she wasn't in pain anymore she wanted to see what had been carved into her hand.

"You absorbed the shadow creature." Tenameru frowned. Link looked at Izzy skeptically.

"You didn't tell me you had magic powers."

"That's because I _don't_ have magic powers." Izzy clarified, pulling her hand close to her and pouting.

"Well, obviously you're wrong." Link pointed to her hand. "That's the Triforce you know. I thought you weren't from around here."

"I'm not." Izzy wondered what could've caused the reaction from the stone.

"She's right, she has no magic… at least not tangible magic. There must be some sort of magic within your body for you to have absorbed such a creature. I thought only _objects_ could do that. Not people."

"Maybe your translations are wrong." Link shrugged and wondered why this was important at all. So she'd absorbed something magical? Big deal.

"No, they're not." Tenameru was puzzled. "I must warn you… as I told you before, magic comes at a great price Izzy. Though you may not feel it right now, something will come of its continued use."

"What, the pain wasn't the price I paid?" Izzy scoffed. Link was looking over the blackened stone in his hand. It didn't seem so special now that it'd lost its glow.

"Not at all. That was a clue." Tenameru pointed to her hand. "Hold up your palm." She did as she was told so the other two could see it, though her fingers still trembled with pain.

"There are four circles, three yet to be completed. My guess is that it means this sorcerer left traces of his magic within the creatures he summoned. There must be three other similar beasts hidden within this world." Tenameru signaled that Izzy could put her hand down. Izzy cursed under her breath.

"So, it means if we find the other three, the spots on her hand will be filled in?"

"Yes, and perhaps the engraving on her skin will disappear in its entirety."

"Perhaps?" Izzy didn't like the sound of that at all.

"I don't know what sort of magic you possess Izzy, but I will do my best to try and find you answers."

"That's a good idea." Link smiled, feeling renewed. "You should go visit the Queen and see if you can find those hidden texts you were talking about. If you can find out more about the creature and how it was summoned then you can find out how to get rid of them and perhaps trace the person who did the summoning."

"And find out how to get rid of what's happened to my hand." Izzy added in quickly. There was no magical blood in her entire family, she was sure whatever had happened to her had to be some sort of fluke. Perhaps the stone had been magical and this would've happened to any person who had picked up the stone.

"That was just what I was thinking." Tenameru smiled and shook his head. "You two should try to find the other three creatures in the meantime."

"But if physical attacks can't be used against shadow creatures, doesn't that seem foolhardy without you?" Link furrowed his brow. "I have very limited magical ability and obviously Izzy has no idea what she's doing."

"Hey, I'm standing right here."

"I know." Link smiled proudly.

"Oh no, I don't think that will be the case. You see all those circles on her hand?" Tenameru nodded toward Izzy again. He and Link waited impatiently for her to hold up her hand. After a moment she sighed in annoyance and held out her palm to look at.

"I am not some museum display for the record. If you want to look at it again then I suggest someone do a doodle of it on some parchment quickly." Izzy tapped her foot in irritation.

"That's not a bad idea actually." Tenameru chuckled then using his finger in the air, traced the design from her hand which appeared in streams of light in front of him. After he'd finished with the design, he closed his fist and the light in the air disappeared entirely. "It's been committed to magical memory now.

"Neat." Izzy had watched in fascination, clearly impressed by the magic that Tenameru had used so easily.

"Yeah, it was _super_ cool." Link said, sarcasm thick in his tone. "Now what were you saying about those different symbols?"

"Yes, as I was saying… those symbols are all different than the one on the top which means that the beasts are very likely different sorts of creatures rather than similar to the one that we found in this clearing. I can't tell you what you're up against but I am hoping that you will be able to attack it physically."

"You're _hoping_?" Izzy grimaced.

"Yes, sadly. I apologize… I wish I could be of more help but until I can find something to decipher the symbols on your hand I can't do much." Tenameru hung his head in regret.

"So what do we do then? What happens if we can't fight these things?" Link frowned.

"You must find a way to weaken the creatures, then Izzy you can absorb them simply by touching them. They should leave behind a blackened stone such as the one you're carrying now, Link. Retrieve the stone and bring it back to the Queen. We will keep them safe until we can find out what they are exactly."

"It looks like a charred piece of coal." Izzy looked at the stone as Link opened his palm to show the others what it looked like.

"Yes, but it could still be important so it's best that we keep it until we're sure that it has no potential to do any further harm. Summoning can be extremely dangerous. Whatever this stone had been before his creature had been summoned through it, had to have been very powerful."

"You know an awful lot about this stuff." Link cocked an eyebrow suspiciously.

"I am not a summoner, it's magic I am not privy too. I can only do what's been given to me by the goddesses and passed down to me my parents. Summoning is a skill that goes against all magical law. Whoever did this can no longer possibly be human, particularly if he's used such evil four times in a short time."

"So we're looking for some rogue magician, huh?" Izzy felt much better now that the pain from her hand had passed completely unless the aching wound graced her cloak. The skin around the carvings was tender and sore, but looked like it was already on its way to healing with the mark permanently carved into her skin. She didn't want to be branded for eternity with the mark of Hyrule and the goddesses on the back of her hand. If she was lucky, Tenameru would find something to help her.

"Not exactly, but that is a good summarized version of it." Tenameru couldn't help but smile. At least Izzy had found a way to be in good spirits about the situation.

"Okay, how do I find these creatures then? I mean… Hyrule is pretty big." Link speculated. He wanted to make sure he knew all the facts before he stepped out into the unknown. Even the little details could be of some use to him later.

"Beasts like this… they are designed to steal life and feed on the negative energy they create. If I were you I would look around your home and find out which places are… cursed, so to speak." Tenameru pondered.

"Like the Lost Woods was covered in shadow and fog. It practically beckoned me when I was walking past. Do you think the other creatures will do the same?" Izzy cocked a curious eyebrow.

"I do. I think that when you stumble upon another shadow creature you will not be able to ignore its presence. They don't want to hide in the shadows like their namesake. They prefer to cause as much chaos as they can manage." Tenameru smirked, proud of the two in front of him for coming around to his logic and trusting him despite the suspicious circumstances he'd arrived under. He'd wanted to have adventures of his own since he was little and it seemed now that he had quite an adventure on his hands.

"Well, it's a start then." Link shrugged, still pondering why Izzy was so nice to this practical stranger and so rude to him. Though, to be fair he was _also_ practically a stranger and he had accused her of attacking the Queen and knocked the wind out of her within the first five minutes of their meeting.

"Good. I will do the research as I had promised. Be careful when absorbing those creatures, Izzy. The price you have to pay for such magic could be anything and until I figure out exactly what the price is, you are at risk." Tenameru bowed his head.

"You're not coming with us?" Link interrupted Izzy before she could respond and was elbowed in the ribs in response to it. He nudged her back in kind.

"I travel through shadow. It's faster and safer for me given my affliction. I will have met the Queen of this land long before you arrive at the castle. I promise though, to keep an eye on you… through the shadows." Tenameru closed his peculiarly black eyes and bowed his head once more gratefully. Turning away from them in farewell, he stepped into the shadows of the Woods that he'd emerged from and disappeared entirely.

"That's weird." Izzy leaned her head to the side curiously.

"Trust me, you get used to it." Link sighed, shaking his head. "After the first few weird disappearances people make you stop being surprised when they suddenly poof out of existence." Link shrugged and turned around, pocketing the piece of charred rock they'd recovered from the monster.

"Let's get out of these woods, hero." Izzy started along the path they'd once walked upon, fully prepared to be done with this quest entirely.

"Gladly."


	5. A Favor for a Favor

Left alone in the clearing to their thoughts and the fading fog, Link and Izzy stood in awkward silence, both on edge despite the imminent threat of attack having dissipated. It was hard to adjust to the beast being very suddenly _gone_. Link's shoulder felt world's better since Tenameru had used his magic to remove the poison but it still ached. Izzy was wandering around the area where the beast had fallen, glancing at her scorched hand every so often in confusion and partially hoping the markings would disappear.

Link wondered what that was all about in the first place. Whoever was responsible for what had happened to Izzy's hand better hope it was reversible because Link had a very strong feeling that she would have their head otherwise. While the mental image of the woman beheading some beast in his mind because he offended her vanity was highly amusing, he was sure she wouldn't share in his amusement.

"So, I think that… since the fog is gone we should leave this clearing and regroup. If the beast is gone we should leave the forest and start… you know searching… maybe." Link finally broke the awkward silence between them, readjusting his tunic for a moment then taking to poking the gauze around the wound on his shoulder curiously. For not having properly taken off his shirt to get to the wound, Izzy had done a pretty decent job securing it.

"Wow, you're a genius." Izzy didn't look up from the spot on the ground where she'd picked up the stone. What sort of cruel joke was being played on her? Her hand still stung but she wondered if it was simply because her subconscious wouldn't stop reminding her of what had happened and the new found obligation she had to a land she'd long ago abandoned.

"Still hostile as ever, I see." Link clicked his tongue in disapproval then started out of the clearing, but stopped when he realized that Izzy wasn't following him along. "Come on, we should stop and talk to Zelda about what Tenameru said. She might have some ideas on where to head next. And having some idea is better than _no_ idea in my experience. Besides, I've got pretty good luck with this stuff. My gut is telling me to go visit the Queen." Link did his best to make the offer seem appealing but Izzy merely scowled in response.

"You can go ahead and go without me. I think that I'm going to stick around here for a bit. I'm not sure I'm ready to leave yet." Izzy shrugged her shoulders, not sounding angry but more disinterested than anything else.

"What? What happened to your gung ho, let's go run straight into the face of danger simply for the thrill of it, adrenaline junkie attitude?" Brow furrowed in confusion, Link took a step closer cautiously to Izzy.

"There's still plenty of danger to be had here in the woods. You've got your thing to do and well… I've got _my_ thing to do." Izzy shrugged, though she knew it was no longer that simple.

"That Sheikah who helped us… he said we had to do this together." Link pointed toward the shadow that Tenameru had disappeared into, eyebrows raised.

"I don't _have_ to do anything. This isn't _my_ home so… I'm not obligated to do a damn thing for it. This is _your_ home, hero and while you may feel pressured by the Sheikah or whatever they are and your obligation to your pretty little Queen I don't have to do a damn thing." Izzy repeated but her face betrayed her words. Link could tell, she wasn't as cold and heartless as she was coming off but she was definitely holding back for reasons unknown.

"Look, I get that you have this whole lone ranger thing going on." Link walked back to where Izzy was standing and stood in her line of vision so she had no options other than to look him in his eyes and tell him no after all had been said and done. Besides, Link had fun working with someone else for once. Between this girl and the new Sheikah, Link was thrilled to have other people to interact with. In addition, Link could tell that Izzy actually _wanted_ to help him on his quest. Even if it wasn't for the land of Hyrule, or for him, or the Queen then it could be for the thrill of adventure as she had told him earlier.

"Oh, you know me so well now don't you after spending a whole hour with me?" Izzy rolled her eyes.

"No, that's not what I said." Link wasn't going to yell if he didn't have to, but he wasn't afraid to either which he found odd since he'd always been the type to hold his temper unless absolutely necessary.

"Fine, then what _were_ you saying, hero?" Izzy rested her hands on her hips and waited for what she guessed was a long drawn out explanation.

"Hyrule can't take another blow like this. I think you know that as well as I do, even if you don't live here." Narrowing his eyes, Link held his hands in front of him pleadingly. "After Ganondorf spent seven years tormenting the people of this land we thought there would be no chance of recovery but now… People are rebuilding, people are moving back after having abandoned their homes and there's a small chance that things could be okay here." Putting his hands back down at his side, he continued on. "You can't tell me that you're just going to walk away from this knowing that whatever sorcerer or summoner did this has the potential to destroy the little progress we've made."

"I can and I am… and what hope are you talking about? The people of Hyrule? They're already doomed and they know it. Face it, you have no real leadership, no economy, no trading, no army, no nothing… Those are the reasons your country is failing not because of this summoner coming out of nowhere," Isabel reasoned. "I may not live here these days, but I can see what's happening. I'm not blind to the things you're saying. I think your people know exactly what's going on, too."

"But you _don't_ see it or you wouldn't be saying that!" Link argued. "These people have faith that they can save the land they love and it'll take time and hard work but we're all willing to put our best foot forward. Simply because some summoner is looking to take advantage of that you're going to give up on this place?"

"The people here are miserable. You think they're happy? Have you ever spent more than an hour in any of those towns? They all cower inside before sunset, terrified that something horrible will come creeping out of the shadows because… there's no one here to protect them. You're wasting your time! You're just _one_ man, eventually you're not going to be able to save them anymore." Izzy knew it was the sad truth about Hyrule.

"That's not true."

"Oh really now?"

"I'm here to protect them. I've given up my life to protect them and just because you're selfish doesn't mean the rest of us are! I'm not giving up just because it's _hard_ and the future looks grim. I don't think you want to give up either! I think you're afraid of committing to something so big." Before Izzy could argue with him, Link continued talking and louder so he would drown out her voice if she tried to interrupt. "Don't you have anyone you want to protect? Isn't there anything you _want_ to fight for?" Izzy stayed silent for a moment lost in thought, much to Link's surprise. He hadn't actually expected her to consider what he'd said.

Deciding it wasn't worth responding vocally, Izzy shook her head negatively and walked past Link, her hand on the hilt of her sword. She headed up the path on the hill and toward the entrance to the clearing. Link followed behind her, not willing to let the subject slide that easily.

"How do you not have _any_ family? I mean I have no family but at the same time I do… The Queen, Impa… My friend Saria here in the woods. They're practically my family and I'd protect them like they were. Everyone has someone." Rubbing unconsciously at the gauze on his shoulder again, Link ran for a moment to catch up with Izzy so he could walk side by side with her.

"I have a sister." Izzy responded after a moment, slowing her walk down to a more casual pace, gazing over at Link as she spoke. She wasn't sure what was holding her back from agreeing to help Link and Hyrule. In all honestly she was absolutely beyond curious to find out what on earth the summoner had been up to and she was more than willing to get the markings off of her hand, but something was telling her not to agree.

She had to remind herself that when people swore themselves to Hyrule they often found themselves trapped there for eternity. Link was the perfect example. While she didn't know his complete story she knew enough to know just how long he had been playing hero. Hadn't he felt cheated? Then there were the sages of course, who gave up their whole lives to protect their realm and after hearing Tenameru's story about his sacrifices it had only convinced Izzy further that Hyrule was cursed.

"Well, if she lived here… or she was in trouble wouldn't you do everything in your power so you could save her life?" Link argued, trying to push his point. While he wasn't sure if she found his urging annoying, he had the feeling that he could convince her if he didn't give up. Link was nothing if persistent.

"But she's not in Hyrule." Izzy argued. "And honestly I wouldn't be jumping at the opportunity to protect her either. If anything, the girl could use a pretty big smack to the face to bring her down to earth." Izzy scoffed, shaking her head.

"Oh now you're just being a jerk on purpose." Link couldn't help but laugh. "She's your sister and no matter how much you may dislike her she's still your flesh and blood and if she was in trouble you would save her life."

"You clearly _don't_ know my sister." Izzy stopped walking for a moment and shot Link a skeptical look.

"Even if you're a horribly mean, spiteful and rotten person Izzy, which I don't think you _are_ for the record, Hyrule needs help. The people here are trying to rebuild from the ashes and if everyone was as unwilling as you are to help you'd be right… But you're wrong because people are willing to rebuild!"

"That's your best argument, really? Pretty please with a cherry on top?" Izzy laughed, walking through the Lost Woods, spying the fork at the entrance that would take them either to Hyrule Field or to the Kokiri Village.

"I wasn't finished."

"My apologies, please continue." Izzy rolled her eyes, waiting at the fork for him to finish with his explanation.

"I know you don't owe this land anything, Izzy… but Hyrule needs your help whether you like it or not. I know you know that, I can see that you know it and whatever is holding you back from helping well… consider this… Hyrule will be eternally grateful if you help, even if we don't succeed in our mission… And think of the adventure we'd have." Link finished his argument with a sigh, unable to think of anything else to offer the woman other than the honest truth. "Please?"

Izzy watched him in amusement, but didn't let it show on her face, considering his argument seriously. There was desperation in his pleading that was almost sweet, but also partially pathetic. While she wasn't willing to tell him that he'd won her over she did relent.

"I don't think I can say no when you look so damn feeble." Link laughed and then cleared his throat to quiet his amusement. "Fine, I'll help you… but only on one condition."

"Anything… Well, almost anything." Link smiled brightly, feeling rather successful after convincing the hardened woman to help him out.

"I require… a favor." Izzy considered her wording carefully then started walking toward the entrance to the Lost Woods.

"Okay, what would that favor be? I'll see what I can do…" Link pondered.

"I don't know what the favor is yet… but a favor from the Hero of Time? Well that's pretty valuable if you ask me. It could come in handy when I least expect it."

"You have a deal, Izzy." Link stopped at the entrance to the woods and held out his hand to shake.

"Just like that huh? You do realize what a favor means."

"Just like that. No strings attached. Someday when you're ready to call in your favor, I'll help you regardless of what it is." Link kept his hand held steady, waiting for the woman to shake it. After a moment lost in thought, Izzy grabbed his hand and gave it a firm shake.

"Deal."

"By the way, how's your head?" Link nodded toward the bump she'd received when she'd been fighting the shadow beast, pulling his hand back. Izzy reached to touch the sensitive spot on her head and shrugged.

"It's not bleeding anymore and I can see just fine. I'm not dizzy so I'm guessing it's just that… How's yours? You haven't complained about it for at least an hour."

"Oh yeah…" Link laughed and reached to rub the sore spot on the back of his head and winced slightly. "Honestly I forgot until you pointed it out."

"Well, we'll just blame it on the arrow wound, shall we?" Izzy argued. The two walked out of the Woods.

"Epona!" Link called, then put his fingers to his lips and whistled loudly, causing Izzy to cover her ears at the offensive sound.

"Holy crap…" Izzy whispered blinking in surprise.

"Sorry, I'm just calling my horse."

"Horse? That wasn't part of the deal." Izzy grimaced.

"What, how else did you expect us to get around? Walking?" Link scoffed and then smiled happily when Epona came prancing into view. The horse ran faster upon actually seeing Link at the entrance to the forest, her tongue hanging out of her mouth like an excited puppy dog. "You'll have to ride with me to the castle, but I bet that Impa would let you borrow Champion so we don't have to share. Something tells me you'd hate to be stuck with me for that long on the back of a horse. Close quarters and all."

"You have guessed correctly." Izzy made an offended face as the horse came up to them and pranced around them excitedly in a circle, kicking up dirt and mud in her wake.

"Calm down girl!" Link laughed as Epona whinnied. The horse stopped her trotting and then walked straight up to Link and nuzzled his face happily. "I'm happy to see you too. I told you I'd be okay." Izzy watched the exchange in confusion, her lips parted slightly in disbelief. He was actually _talking_ to the horse like it was a person. "This is Izzy, she's a little cranky don't let her get to you but… but we found this monster…" Link was recounting their adventure in the Lost Woods to the horse.

Izzy walked away in confusion and tried not to listen in on the awkward conversation between Link and his horse. Glancing out at the fields surrounding the forest, Izzy tried to think of what direction they should head in. The heavy clouds were still hanging overhead, so she guessed the storm hadn't been caused by the summoner and the shadow beast that had been plaguing the forest.

The fog that had so heavily obstructed the view of the entrance to the woods had completely dissipated. The woods still hadn't managed to look any friendlier despite this fact. Something had always bothered Izzy about the woods but she had never been able to place her finger on it. Turning her attention back to Link while he spoke to his horse that was occasionally trotting excitedly in place like she simply could not keep still, she caught the tail end of their conversation.

"So now if you don't mind we have to carry her with us to the castle. Do you think you can handle that? She looks like she's pretty light and you're a strong girl, you can do it!" Link reassured, patting Epona's mane. Epona whinnied approvingly and shook her head up and down then rushed over to Izzy and brushed her nose against the woman's arm.

"I could just… walk." Izzy looked at the horse but couldn't help but be somewhat amused. She had never seen a horse behave in such a peculiar manner before.

"No way, Epona said it was okay you ride her and we'll get there before you know it." Link smiled proudly, watching his horse investigate Izzy in amusement.

"I… okay I mean no offense to your horse, because she's lovely really and… well rather friendly but I'm not really big on horses." Izzy continued on, shrugging her shoulders. Epona whinnied in objection and if she didn't know better she would've thought the horse looked disappointed to hear that.

"You don't like horses? You actually _walk_ everywhere?" Link looked confused. "Come on… It's a lot faster."

"I just don't like being on something I can't control. It has nothing to do with horses themselves, I don't love wagons either… She's beautiful, really!" Epona clearly approved of this statement, seeing as she was once again friendly with Izzy after getting over her disappointment.

"Epona's different than other horses."

"This I can see." Izzy was still watching the excited horse in amusement.

"She's my friend. I trust her. Just trust me on this one…" Link got onto the back of the horse and then offered Izzy a hand up. Epona stood still and proudly for a moment before bobbing her head about happily once again.

"Except that I don't trust you. I've known you for about three hours." Izzy hesitated then took Link's hand and used it to help her onto the horse behind him.

"Fine, then hold on and pray to the goddesses that Epona and I don't kill you in the ride over." Link laughed, grabbing the reins of his horse that whinnied almost in amusement. Izzy instantly grabbed onto his shoulders as the horse pushed forward, cursing under her breath.

"I am starting to _hate_ you." Izzy pouted.

"Who's the big baby now?" Link laughed, leading Epona through the fields and toward Hyrule Market.

"Rub it in, why don't you?" Izzy continued to pout for most of the ride, even if it hadn't been as bad as she anticipated it to be. When they got to moat in front of Hyrule Market, Link stopped Epona and let Izzy get off of the horse before he hopped off easily. He let go of Epona's reins and let her trot around happily. Champion was asleep nearby. Epona purposely nudged the more muscular black horse and he woke up with an annoyed whinny. He practically glared at Epona in annoyance as she trotted happily past him, returning to the fruit tree she'd discovered earlier.

Izzy took a second to regain her bearings, before she sat down on one of the posts near the moat. Link nodded toward the bridge and cocked an eyebrow curiously.

"It's this way, we don't really have time to take a breather." Link shuffled uncomfortably, adjusting himself after having been seated on the horse for so long.

"Why don't you go ahead and handle all the diplomacy crap. I'll hang out here with your… horse." Izzy eyed Epona strangely as the pony circled the tree, as if to ponder her next move.

"Okay… I suppose there's no harm in that." Link was nervous for a moment that Izzy would run off if left to her own devices, but decided that she had too much to lose at this point if she did and shrugged his shoulders. "I shouldn't be very long."

"Good, because the sun's setting and you know what these fields are like at night." Izzy tapped her foot on the ground knowingly.

"Yeah, stalchildren aren't exactly a party to deal with." Link smiled slightly and then waved to Champion before heading into the Redead infested marketplace. Much to his surprise, the Redeads seemed to have taken refuge in the shadows, seeing as Link didn't see a single one nor hear their telltale moaning and groaning.

Opening the gates that had been built in front of the Temple of Time to keep villains away, Link stared up at the massive cathedral. It was untouched by time, untouched by the evil that had spread through Hyrule. The building had always given Link hope. If this fragile building had survived all the years of torment, even if it had by some spell cast upon it years prior, then perhaps the fragile state of the world would also prevail. Link was certain they had a little magic to spare for the cause.

Walking up the marble steps to the cathedral, Link stopped at the large ornately carved doors and remembered the first time he'd walked past them. It had been what really changed his whole life.

When he'd gotten the ocarina of time from the Queen when she'd been fleeing the castle with Impa as a child, he had no idea what it would do to him when he played it inside the cathedral. He'd known when he'd first met Zelda that his life would never be the same but he had never expected to lose seven years of his life to slumber.

Maybe if he'd never pulled the master sword from its hidden alcove in the back of the cathedral he could've saved the world sooner than he had. But, there was no time for him to concentrate on what might have been. At one time, the sword had given him the ability to travel back into the past to prepare the future for what needed to be done. But ever since the fall of Ganondorf, the sword had rejected its pedestal. Perhaps since it had served its purpose, there was no need for him to go back in time any longer. It seemed that now that evil had been disposed of, the master sword was merely a regular sword.

Closing his eyes for a moment and reflecting on the moment that had changed his whole life, Link took a deep breath and was reminded of all the good things that had come out of his loss. Opening his eyes after the quiet contemplation he pushed the doors to the cathedral open to find Impa cooking something in a cauldron in one end of the cathedral and the Queen at the other end, leaning over a large table covered in maps and plans. Zelda looked exhausted and Link felt bad for her once again.

How burdensome it must have been to be the Queen of a country that had so little hope. Izzy had reminded him rather brutally of just how bad things in Hyrule had been.

"Link!" Impa exclaimed happily. "You have excellent timing, dinner is nearly ready."

"I'm afraid I don't have time for that." Link started then walked over to the table where the Queen was placing pins in the maps. What they stood for, Link had no idea. "I have news."

"Did you find the man who attacked me?" Zelda smiled despite the weariness written all over her face.

"I didn't, but I found something else." Link sat down in the chair next to the table and continued onward. "The forest was covered in fog when I got there. I ran into the woman who we accused of attacking you and apparently she had noticed the disturbance in the forest as well and had gone in to investigate on her own."

"Brave woman, isn't she? I'm surprised she was willing to speak to you after all we accused her of." Impa smiled pleasantly, letting her stew boil in the cauldron while she came to join Link and the Queen.

"Sort of, she wasn't exactly the nicest person I've ever met." Link laughed a little but continued hurriedly. "Regardless we traveled through the forest until we came upon a beast unlike any other I'd seen before. It was… encompassed in shadow and when we attacked it, it simply mirrored our movements and returned our attacks in kind." Link acknowledged his shoulder where the arrow had hit him.

"Oh goodness, I'm sorry Link I didn't even notice! Are you alright? Do you need medicine?" Zelda immediately fretted over the wound, feeling guilty for not having noticed it earlier.

"It's on its way to healing so don't worry about it."

"You said you saw a shadowy beast?" Impa grimaced. The description had obviously rang a bell in the back of her mind.

"Yes, we did." Link nodded his head. "You know what I'm speaking of, don't you?"

"I do." Impa grimaced after the confirmation had been made. "How did you escape with your lives? Surely you must have left the beast there and fled once you saw what it was capable of!"

"What are you two talking about?" Zelda furrowed her brow, leaning against the table.

"There are beasts of myth, at least I thought they were myth… But my people were told bedtime stories about them to keep us in our beds after curfew. Shadowy beasts that would mimic your movements and wouldn't give up until they had destroyed those who had offended them!"

"And you ran into this monstrosity?" Zelda widened her eyes in alarm. "Link, we must keep the people away from it!"

"It's dead, don't worry." Link smiled proudly.

"Dead? They don't just die, Link." Impa furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Well, it's not dead. It's trapped." Link tried to remember what Tenameru had said, then recalled something else. "Wait, he hasn't made it here yet?" Link looked around in the shadows, as if expecting the man to pop out of the darkness at the mere mention of him.

"Who hasn't made it here, Link?" Zelda looked confused and mildly concerned.

"Tenameru… He's a Sheikah who came out of the darkness of the woods to assist us with the beast. He absorbed the creature with magic and explained that he'd seen Impa's message in one of the outer lying towns and had come back to Hyrule to serve the kingdom." Link grimaced. "He could travel through shadows and said he'd come here to speak with you quickly… I offered to let him travel with me and Izzy but…" Link drifted off, feeling confused. "Either way, you should expect him to arrive soon enough. He promised he would come speak with you about the state of Hyrule."

"Another Sheikah?" Impa looked absolutely thrilled at the news and Link should expect so. It meant that something she had done hadn't been in vain and gave them all hope of more Sheikah following in Tenameru's footsteps.

"Are you sure that it was another Sheikah?" Zelda asked suspiciously. "Are you sure that he wasn't in fact the summoner you sought out?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Link held up a hand defensively and shook his head. "I was suspicious at first but he was very genuinely there to help us. He used a moon shaped necklace to absorb the beast and explained to us that the beast could only be trapped, not defeated entirely."

"A moon shaped necklace, oh goodness I think I know this child…" Impa smiled in memory. "Worry not, my Queen, if this man is the son of who I think he is then he is no threat but in fact an asset. I am guessing Link, that this man couldn't walk in the light of day? He was afflicted with a terrible curse thanks to his gifts…"

"Yes… Yes that is exactly who we met." Link smiled but then pouted slightly at the memory of what he'd learned. "I had no idea that magic came with such a heavy price, why didn't either of you tell me?" Impa and Zelda exchanged glances. Zelda looked away, feeling guilty that she hadn't mentioned such a thing.

"Because it would've stopped you from using magic entirely, don't you think?" Impa took the blow for the Queen. Link leaned back in his chair at the revelation. Zelda and Impa had purposely _not_ told him about the dire consequences of magic so that he would use magic without knowing and not know of the burden it would be until the damage had already been done.

"…I see." Link had a lot of angry words, none of which he was willing to say at the moment. The mood had changed from cheery to tense in a heartbeat.

"I'm sorry Link." Impa couldn't think of any other words than that. Zelda didn't speak. Link stood up from the chair.

"Well, you should do well to warn others in the world of such a thing because people should know what they're getting into." Link straightened his back and hardened his expression. What else had they lied to him about? Did they know what would happen to him in the Temple of Time? Did they know he would lose seven years of his life? Were they aware of what consequences would befall him? How could they not have given him any warning? How often had he been manipulated?

"You're right, we should." Zelda sighed heavily but still offered Link no apology. What was she thinking? Did she think simply because she had to sacrifice her life to her country that she had to manipulate others into doing the same? He suddenly understood Izzy's hesitation to help him do what was needed.

"Regardless," Link turned his back to them and looked at the altar of the cathedral where the three pendants he'd retrieved as a child still floated, eternally locked in place, "The beast dropped a stone."

"Can I see it?" Impa asked curiously, seeing the guilt on her Queen's face but knowing Zelda did what she had to at the time and had to live with the consequences. Impa would always stand by her Queen's decisions. Link reached into his bag and pulled out the small piece of what looked like charcoal and handed it to Impa. "This is it? Are you sure it's not a piece of kindling?"

"Yes, I'm sure. It used to look like a ruby but then Izzy, the girl who had helped me, picked it up."

"What happened to the stone? She was a thief, a scoundrel wasn't she? Are you sure she didn't swap them?" Zelda looked at the stone in confusion. There didn't seem to be anything mystical about it.

"You think the worst of her already, do you? I'm not surprised." Link took the stone and held it up to examine in the torch light as he had done in the woods. It didn't look magical, Zelda was right.

"My apologies," Zelda whispered under her breath. "She was willing to steal from me though, so you cannot blame me."

"Can't I?" Link wasn't referring to the stone at all at this point, but he didn't push the matter further. "She touched the stone and the beast transferred into her hand." Impa covered her mouth in surprise.

"How on earth…?"

"I don't know. Tenameru was just as confused."

"Is she a Sheikah as well?" Zelda asked, not seeming as confused as her companions seemed to be.

"No, she said there's no magic in her lineage but there's something that caused it… No idea what the source is though. Tenameru wanted to discuss it with you at length. The stone's powers carved symbols into her hand. There are three more beasts for us to extinguish and after some convincing… I managed to get Izzy to come help me get rid of them."

"Convincing? How could she need convincing?" Zelda looked surprised that there had been any hesitation.

"Not everyone is willing to sacrifice their lives to a country that has given them nothing in return." Link spoke coldly. Neither Zelda nor Impa responded to his remark. "Regardless, she's agreed to help me and Tenameru was coming to you to find out if there was some rhyme or reason behind what the stone did to her hand. We're hoping that it was simply the stone transferring its power into her palm, but Tenameru seems to think there could me magic in her blood if this happened. I honestly don't know because I don't use magic unless it's imbued within an object. Which I _also_ didn't realize was dangerous."

"Yes, magic is often passed to an object when one cannot bear the consequences, but there are rules to that Link. The magic in the items you possess cannot be transferred back to anyone and well… even if they could, the consequences of having them wouldn't be incredibly dire. The magic we carry as a burden is too strong for mortal objects." Impa tried to soften the blow but it didn't help. Link thought about the magic he possessed and grimaced. The three stones he'd been given by fairies over his travels weren't mortal, they were heavenly. What consequences would there be if he broke the crystals that possessed such magic?

"At any rate, she's joining me on my quest. If you have any suggestions on where else to look I'm all ears." Link shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know Link." Zelda sighed heavily, still looking exhausted. "Where is this Izzy girl? I feel like I owe her an apology for all that has transpired her."

"She didn't want to come in and I can't blame her." Link was ready to go. He needed to blow off some steam and soon.

"Well, then perhaps another time. Will you stay for dinner? It's getting late. You could possibly continue in the morning." Zelda asked, forcing a smile over her lips. Was she supposed to apologize for what she'd hidden from him for the sake of their world? Could she really have entrusted the decision on the shoulders of an eleven year old all those years ago? Of course, she had been just a child then too, but she had time to think over the consequences that lay in front of her. Link didn't have time to change his mind a thousand times before the world had come to its fate.

"No, I'm not hungry. Thanks though. I'm going to get a head start. You know, important missions and all." Link sighed heavily. "Be safe and keep an eye out for Tenameru. He's encompassed in darkness but he's a very nice guy. Overly nice if you ask me." Link turned his back again and left the stone on the table Zelda had been hunched over when he'd entered. "Oh, one more thing… Izzy doesn't have a horse. Do you mind if we borrow Champion?"

"Of course not. Just be kind to him." Impa bowed her head respectfully. Link nodded and without a word of gratitude he left the Temple of Time, closing the large doors behind him.

"She owes _her_ an apology?" Link narrowed his eyes and glared back at the door in frustration. He stomped down the stairs and kicked the obelisk stone next to the stairway. It chimed and rang out the current time immediately after. Zelda hadn't even been able to look him in the eye! So much for seeing her like a sister.

Link needed to keep calm for the time being. There would be time to address the situation like an adult later, right now he had other things to do. He was sure if he told Izzy what had happened in the Temple of Time she'd be tempted to back out of their deal. Instead, he'd brood and try to distract himself with the danger of what they were going to face.

When he moved through the marketplace, he was partially disappointed there were no Redeads in sight. Perhaps by the time he got to the fields the stalchildren would have appeared from the earth to chase them and he could take his frustrations out on them. Crossing the bridge, Link saw how lucky he'd become as the sun set in the distance. Pausing for a moment, he watched the small skeleton like creatures stumbling across the grass lazily.

Pulling out the master sword, he swung it around skillfully and rushed over the bridge toward the creature. The poor stalchild had no idea what was coming for it and merely limped toward Link. In a furious flash of a steel swinging through the air Link sliced his sword through the stalchild and more than once. As two more popped from the ground to replace it, Link swung at them as well and again and again until no more popped from the earth to threaten him.

Out of breath from fighting the creatures he stood still, holding his sword while he recovered. The ashes of the creatures surrounded him, his sword marred with dust and black blood. He felt eyes on him and after a moment of hesitation turned around to look toward where he felt the gaze coming from.

Izzy was laying on her stomach on one of the branches of the fruit tree that Epona had been chomping at. Epona and Champion were at the base of the tree, happily munching on a bounty of fruit that Izzy had apparently shaken from the boughs. Izzy and the horses stared at Link in surprise, clearly having not expected him to appear with such rage.

Link suddenly felt silly and embarrassed for what he'd done and put his sword away. Deciding he didn't regret his actions, he dusted off his green tunic and started toward the tree.

"Hello sunshine." Izzy spoke when he came within earshot, sitting up on the branch of the tree.

"Come on, let's get going." Link nodded toward no direction in particular. Feeling calmed at the sight of his horse, he reached to pet Epona who munched happily on a piece of fruit still within her mouth. Sensing Link's upset, Epona leaned down and nudged one of the pieces of fruit toward him with her nose as a gift. "You did this?" Link pointed at Izzy, then back down at the fruit.

"Your horse was jumping to try and get them. Do you have any idea how ridiculous that looked?" Izzy wanted to know what had pissed the hero off so severely that he'd gone ballistic on the creatures that prowled the fields in the night, but was unsure that it was the best time to test his anger.

"I do, she was doing it earlier. Did… did you let Champion free? He was tied up before I left." Link furrowed his brow in realization.

"I was cleaning up my forehead and I couldn't resist. He looked sad watching Epona." Izzy shrugged her shoulders and hopped out of the tree, then started picking up the fruit she'd knocked down from the branches.

"He looked _sad_?" Link scoffed but couldn't help but smile after a moment. "You're not as nasty as you think you are." He leaned over to help her pick up apples, packing them away in their bags to bring with them for the horses later on. "Impa said you can use her horse so you don't have to ride with me."

"That's a relief." Izzy rolled her eyes, not thrilled about either scenario but figured if she had to choose, she'd rather ride solo. "So where to, hero?"

"I'm thinking the mountains." Link shrugged his shoulders and looked behind the woman at Death Mountain, encircled in dark smoke that had merged with the dark clouds covering Hyrule.

"Why is that? Don't they always look like that? I thought that was the reason for its namesake." Izzy glanced at the mountains. They looked as they always had and she had a gut feeling that wasn't where they should be going. Though honestly, she wasn't sure what had caused her to be so intuitive very suddenly. Perhaps it had been whatever magic the stone had poured into her hand.

"Yeah but there's always something awful up there so I figured why not… Can't hurt to check." Link leaned against the tree and pet Epona when she came to nuzzle him.

"Are you okay?" Izzy looked like it was painful for her to show any sort of concern for the hero.

"I'm fine, why would you ask?" Link responded haughtily.

"Because _you're_ being the bitchy one now." She accused then nodded toward the ashes that were currently scattering about on the wind where he'd only moments ago killed the stalchildren. "And you went all postal on those things. They're harmless you know. They don't really have much interest in anything at all. If you get hurt by a stalchild then you probably deserved it." Izzy argued. Whatever hesitation she'd had to ask him about what had happened had faded.

"I'm fine, just confused." Link didn't have the patience to explain what had happened and as Izzy had reminded him before he'd gone into the Temple of Time, he'd only known her for a handful of hours. How could she be trusted with something so sensitive? Besides she'd likely just tell him that he was being a baby so he should man up. So that's what Link had done. He'd manned up.

"Confused about what? That didn't look like confusion, it looked like rage." Izzy pointed out, holding out a fruit for Champion to munch on. The horse looked far happier than he had when they'd first approached him from the forest.

"It doesn't matter. If you don't think we should head to the mountains, where do you suggest we go?" Link grabbed Epona's saddle and stuck his foot in the stirrups, mounting the horse.

"Gerudo Valley." Izzy said after a moment of thought. She decided not to push Link into talking, but mostly because she didn't actually care what was happening in his mind.

"Oh come on!" Link gripped the reins tightly in frustration. "We are not using this mission as an excuse to run your stupid errands! I don't care what you had planned with the Gerudos this is more important okay?"

"Wow, I thought I was the defensive one." Izzy scoffed and struggled with the saddle on Champion's back for a moment before managing to get her bearings and climb onto the horse's back. He objected momentarily with a whinny but then calmed and regained himself as she pet his mane.

"This isn't some game you get to play with me, this is legitimate danger and whatever you were doing can wait."

"I know that." Izzy led Champion next to Link. "But, I communicate with the Gerudos on a regular basis and I happen to know a lot of what's going on in the desert."

"Oh, do you now?" Link scoffed skeptically.

"Yes, they send me falcons about what's going on and what they need for trade and when I have enough that warrants a trip to Hyrule, I make my way here. They warned me about this particular visit and advised me against it."

"And why is that?"

"Because there are storms plaguing the Haunted Wasteland. Storms so severe that the Gerudos have sealed up their homes from the _hail_." Izzy spoke condescendingly. "Now are you going to continue accusing me of trying to get out of this with every word that I say or are you going to give me a real shot to help you out, hero?"

"Fine… Fine. I'm sorry okay? I'm a _little_ on edge." Link apologized and slumped his shoulders, kicking Epona's side gently to lead her south toward the desert. Izzy gained control of Champion after a moment and urged the horse to do the same.

"A little? That's an understatement." Izzy smiled after a moment of guiding the horses. "Though I'm not going to lie, completing my errand was definitely in my mind."

"I knew it." Link laughed after a moment. If nothing else, it was good not to be alone.


	6. Ghosts in the Sand

"You know for years this desert wasn't accessible because the Hylians burned down the bridge that went over the canyon." Link led Epona through a narrow path that would lead up the hill and toward the narrow entrance to the desert on the western region of Hyrule.

"You don't say." Izzy sounded weary and disinterested as she followed behind Epona with Champion. The horse wore an expression similar to that of its rider.

"The Hylians didn't trust the Gerudos after Ganondorf's birth and the Gerudos were just as hostile toward the Hylians. So to prevent the Gerudos from bringing any further evil into the land, the Hylians burned the only means of travel to and from the desert."

"Effectively destroying their economy." Izzy rolled her eyes, still sounding incredibly bored by the conversation. Link had been talking nonstop during their travels through the extensive fields. The sun had begun to descend past the mountains leaving them in the hazy darkness of night. Fog had been rolling in from the canyon for the past hour.

"Well, that was an unforeseen consequence." Link shrugged, still talking animatedly. He'd spent so much time traveling alone and being quiet that once he'd started talking to Izzy the stories continued flowing out of him like vomit. "People do stupid things when faced with the unknown."

"That could be the smartest thing you've ever said."

"Thanks, I think." Link led the horses up the hill and toward the bridge that he'd been talking about. "The group of carpenters that returned here after a few years in hopes of restoring the bridge managed their way across chasm. But unfortunately the Gerudos were still wary of the Hylians and bitter after what they'd done. So the women of the tribe kidnapped the four carpenters and planned to sacrifice them to the beasts in the Haunted Wasteland in hopes the increasingly violent sandstorms would subside." Link continued leading Epona gingerly across the bridge. Champion seemed less eager to cross it and reared on its hind legs. Turning Epona to face Izzy, Link looked at them skeptically.

"This horse hates the bridge." Izzy tried to calm Champion down but he seemed spooked. Epona pranced eagerly on the other side of the bridge as if to urge him. "Come on, if that dopey horse can do it then so can you." Champion seemed coaxed by her words and slowly started across the bridge even if it was simply to prove a point.

"I freed the carpenters." Link continued on his story. "It took a lot of sneaking around and I was captured a few times myself but I managed to free them and gain the trust of the Gerudo at the same time."

"Oh, they trust you already? That's good. I was _not_ looking forward to trying to explain to them why I was bringing the high and mighty hero of Hyrule with me." Izzy finally got Champion across the bridge safely and patted his side gingerly as a reward. They continued on through the desert sands, the cliffs rising higher and higher around them. By the time they reached the gates of the infamous Gerudo Valley, the sun had made way for night and the moon was settling into the sky. "Thank the goddesses we're here."

"Are you kidding? The trip seemed to fly by!" Link smiled contently.

"It dragged on for me. You sure can talk, hero." Izzy got off of her horse and pulled the string for the bell on the right side of the gates that would alert those keeping watch that someone requested entry into the city of thieves.

"Did I talk that much?" Link seemed surprised with himself. It wasn't like him to go on gabbing for hours and hours. "I'm usually really quiet if you'll believe that since I've become used to spending so much time alone on my adventures."

"You should pretend you're still alone then." Izzy sounded annoyed but he could see a smile playing on her lips, like she was teasing him. "We should speak with the Gerudo about the crazy weather they've been experiencing. Maybe they have some answers for us." The large wooden gates in front of them creaked open to allow them safe passage into the valley once a guard had confirmed their identities silently. Izzy and Link led their horses into the city.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea. You can conduct your business as planned and I'll speak with Nabooru about the anomalies. As one of the guardians of the shrines in this land, I have a few questions for her." Link nodded. Izzy was surprised that he'd agreed to let her conduct her business as planned but wasn't going to argue with him.

"Alright hero, after that's done we'll meet back up. I might take a little while so don't rush or anything." Izzy jumped off of Champion and tied him up near the front gates before walking over to one of the Gerudo women and greeting her like an old friend. Link realized she wasn't going to say anything more to him after an awkward moment of waiting for a goodbye then started on his own path into the village.

It'd been a very long time since he'd last visited the Gerudos and his memory was a little foggy on where things were located. Link traveled to so many different places that locations often blurred together. Allowing Epona to find her own way as he always did, Link started through the village in search of Nabooru hoping that eventually his memory would kick in and he'd recall which building he usually met her in. He considered that she might be in the shrine near the training grounds but rejected the idea as quickly as it'd come. When he first met Nabooru she'd been in the prisons and he was sure that he wouldn't find her _there_ either. With any luck, the Gerudo wouldn't have _anyone_ in their prisons.

"Link? Is that you?" The familiar voice of the proud leader of the Gerudo tribe came from behind him. Turning on his heels, Link offered a smile, partially relieved that she'd found him before he'd made an idiot of himself walking around mindlessly through the village in search of her. "It _is_ you! What on earth are you doing here?" Nabooru quickly approached the hero and gave him a swift hug. Tall, proud, and strong, Nabooru was a fearsome warrior but also a loving and caring woman. The pale orange jewel centered and burned into her forehead was a symbol of leadership amongst the Gerudo. Ganondorf had once bore the same jewel when he'd ruled over the land of Hyrule.

"I was wondering if I could speak with you about something." Link took note of the dark foreboding clouds creeping in from the west to obscure his view of the stars glimmering overhead.

"Yes, of course. Whatever you need I am always happy to help my friend." Nabooru nodded toward the building at the top of the sloping hill. "Come, sit with me and I'll have some drink brought for us."

"No, no… I don't require anything except for your audience." Link hung his head respectfully. Nabooru chuckled beneath her breath and started up the hill toward her home. Outside of the earthen colored building was a wooden porch with several handmade tables and chairs placed upon it. It seemed as though Nabooru's home was a regular gathering place for the Gerudo since the chairs were well worn.

Link took a seat in one of the chairs once Nabooru had done the same and glanced around curiously. The usual bustle of the Gerudo town was nowhere to be found. There were only a handful of people outside and they weren't casually practicing their fighting skills or working on crops as he had seen them do in the past. Instead they were tying down furniture and boarding up windows in preparation for something dangerous. The usual confident air of the town had faded into a mixture of despair and fear. Link guessed it had something to do with the terrible weather that Izzy had mentioned to him. It was a relief, if nothing else, to know that Izzy hadn't been lying to Link simply to manipulate him into getting her errands finished.

"So what is it you wish to discuss with me?" Nabooru smiled politely, nodding toward one of the other Gerudo walking by. The woman ran off with the silent order.

"I've heard from a friend of mine that you've had some odd weather phenomenon taking place in the Haunted Wasteland and it has been spilling over onto your borders. I was wondering if you could perhaps shed some light on that for me." Link folded his arms over his chest, curious of what the woman would tell him.

"I'm afraid I have very little information to offer you. The Haunted Wasteland has always lived up to its reputation. People have always seen spirits within the dust and wind that plague the shifting sands. In more recent months the wind has become intolerable, so much so that we have been forced to permanently seal off the gates that opened into the Wasteland. I have been unable to return to the Spirit Temple to properly protect it because of this." Nabooru hung her head in shame. The same Gerudo that had disappeared only moments ago returned with a jug of some dark colored ale and placed it on the table with two glasses set out for them.

Nabooru poured glasses for the both of them of the thick liquid then took a long drink out of hers. Link neglected his, not nearly as interested in the ale as he was in the information he was getting.

"You sealed off the gates? It was that bad?"

"The winds were knocking down homes and crashing through windows." Nabooru nodded toward the glass she'd poured for Link who shook his head negatively. "Even after sealing off the gates the rain we've been receiving has been so torrential that flooding has damaged the foundations of many buildings. Hail has practically ruined our crops."

"That sounds pretty severe to me."

"The only person left who can reach the Spirit Temple now is you and only with the gifts you've been granted by the Goddesses." Nabooru smiled wearily.

"I'm trying to avoid using magic for awhile if it can be helped but my guess is that if you can't get through the wasteland than neither can anyone else." Link recalled the things he'd recently learned about the powers he'd been taking for granted. He didn't want to keep using the magic he'd obtained until he knew exactly what the consequences were and how dire they'd be. The only problem was he wasn't exactly sure _how_ to find information about ancient magical powers.

"It wouldn't be so terrible if it was just the winds. Soon after we sealed off the gates the storms coming from the west worsened. As you can see we are tying down our belongings and working on strengthening our city in order to survive the continuing onslaught of bad weather." Nabooru suddenly looked older. Link hadn't realized just how terrible the situation was. Now that he realized the severity of their struggles he wondered why the woman hadn't gone to the queen with their woes. He could hear Izzy scolding him mentally, letting him know _exactly_ why the Gerudo hadn't approached Zelda. "Do you see those clouds?"

"I do." Link nodded without searching the sky. He'd become hyper observant over the years spent adventuring and traveling.

"When that storm hits us tonight, it will release hail larger than you've ever imagined and perhaps even snow. The lightning will be fierce and the wind practically like a tornado." Nabooru stared into her glass sadly. "We've lost half the village to this weather, it's dreadful. Why are you asking about it? Who let you know of our plight? The storms aren't common knowledge to those unfamiliar with the desert."

"A friend of mine made me aware. She's here on business right now."

"Izzy?" Nabooru looked surprised. Clearly, Izzy didn't seem like the type of character Nabooru expected Link to hang around with. Link felt slightly offended that Nabooru thought that and hardened his features but gave a curt nod. "I meant no offense to you, Link. She's just quite cynical while you are such a kind and selfless soul."

"Yeah, tell me about it. Anyway, she told me about the woes of your people. I believe I might know the cause and the solution for your troubles. If you would allow me to get past the gates I think that I could help." Nabooru looked surprised but considered this information.

"It's dangerous. I don't know how I feel about letting you go out there alone."

"Izzy will be accompanying me." Link nodded his head once again. Nabooru continued to look baffled but instantly nodded her head to agree with his terms. Link wondered what exactly Izzy had done for the Gerudos over the years to garner their trust and faith. Only seconds ago Nabooru had been hesitant to let the _hero_ of Hyrule pass through the gates, but now that a thief was joining him she seemed perfectly alright with it. Link was confused to say the least.

"I can temporarily unseal the gates to the Haunted Wasteland but will have to seal them immediately after your passing to prevent further damage to my people."

"I understand." Link smiled, feeling rather successful though still mildly offended and bewildered.

"When you return from your quest, I will allow you entrance once more. There is an old guard outpost within the gates leading to the Wasteland. I will have one of my guards sit there and await your return through the night. Unless you would like to wait until morning, that is. The Haunted Wasteland is dangerous enough during the day in the proper light, at night it is treacherous for even the most skilled warriors." Nabooru was once again cautioning against entry, despite Link's promise to release her people from the burden of terrible weather.

"The sooner we take care of this threat to your home the better. I'm aware of the danger involved and well prepared for it." Link puffed out his chest confidently.

"If anyone can make it out of there, it's you." Nabooru smiled confidently, seemingly aware that she'd offended Link's masculinity somewhere along the line and attempting to make up for it.

"Thank you. I have one more request of you, if you'll have it." Link bowed his head respectfully again.

"Anything. You have been a loyal and helpful friend to our people and I will return your kindness in any way that I can."

"The Queen is attempting to use the magic given to her by the goddesses as the seventh Guardian of Hyrule to heal the land where Ganondorf's wicked castle once stood but it is draining her energy too severely. She requests the aid of the seven guardians of the seven shrines to use their magic and assist her with the process. If you could find time to do so, it would be greatly appreciated. There's a long path ahead of Hyrule before our world has returned to working order, but this would be a great first step forward." Nabooru didn't seem to like the request made of her very much, as made apparent by the scowl on her face. Link wondered again how long he'd been ignoring the Gerudos distaste for the current monarchy. Had he never noticed it before or was it something that had only recently developed? According to Izzy, he was blind to it.

"I will contact the Queen by falcon and see what I may assist her with." Nabooru offered a weak smile before finishing the rest of her glass. "My guards will aid you in getting through the sealed gate." Nabooru snapped her fingers and the same Gerudo who had given them the ale came running over to them. Whispering in their native tongue together, Nabooru gave the Gerudo directions before sending her away.

"Hey hero, you ready to go yet?" Izzy walked over, hand resting on the hilt of her sword. Epona was trailing behind her jovially, ready for adventure.

"Izzy! I heard rumor of your arrival. It is wonderful to see you. I trust business is going well?" Nabooru rose from her seat and gave Izzy a hug that she looked reluctant to return. Even with those who so highly regarded her, Izzy didn't seem to be one for affectionate embraces. Link couldn't help but wonder why she was so guarded, but couldn't help but think he would have done the same. Traveling through the wild and seeing the horrors of the world firsthand could easily turn a person cold.

"Business is always going well when I have such reliable clientele." Izzy smiled politely then looked toward the glasses on the table longingly but didn't ask for a glass.

"Go ahead, I'm not drinking it." Link held up his hands and shook his head from side to side.

"Thanks." Izzy grabbed the glass and drained the ale quickly before setting it back down. "I needed that."

"Not a problem." Link looked at her suspiciously. She seemed off since they'd parted at the entrance to the city and he couldn't put his finger on the reason why.

"Link said you were accompanying him, and I was quite skeptical at first. But here you are just as he said."

"I don't know if he's very good at lying, anyway." Izzy joked. "But I've gotten swept up in some hero-related nonsense and promised I'd see it through to the end. If I get to help your people in the process it's only an added bonus." Izzy bowed comically. Nabooru laughed and patted Izzy on the shoulder before turning toward Link.

"What did you promise her in return? The price must have been hefty if she's taking orders from the Queen." Link noticed the bite to Nabooru's words and again wondered how long he'd been ignoring it.

"I'm not taking _orders_ from the Queen." Izzy grimaced, resting her hand on her hip.

"You see my point?" Nabooru smirked and shook her head.

"I've promised her a favor." Link laughed, getting up from his seat and walking casually over to Epona who was following Izzy around happily. For some reason the horse had taken a shining to Izzy, even if the woman didn't return the gesture.

"A favor from the great hero? For a thief and ranger?" Nabooru chuckled loudly and then gave Link another playful hug. "You are a brave man." Link wasn't quite sure what Nabooru thought was so funny but was suddenly having second thoughts about his promise to Izzy. The same thing that seemed to bring her respect amongst the Gerudo had also given her some sort of nasty and fearsome reputation. It didn't matter. Link wasn't one to break a promise unless absolutely necessary.

"You should leave your weird horse behind with Nabooru." Izzy leaned out of the way as Epona attempted to sniff at her hair curiously. "It's too dangerous in the shifting sand for her to come. She'll get swept away or wounded."

"Definitely." Epona whinnied in objection to being left behind. Link placed his hand gingerly on the side of her snout. "It's okay girl, you can stay here and help the Gerudos out for the night. I don't want you to get hurt in the storm."

"We'll provide shelter for your horses if you haven't returned by the time the nasty weather makes its way here." Nabooru offered, walking over to Epona and offering the horse a bow. Epona seemingly bowed in return, though she was still irritated she wouldn't be traveling with Link through the desert.

"Great." Izzy cleared her throat and nodded toward the large gate that led to the Haunted Wasteland. "Shall we?"

"After you." Link bowed his head again respectfully and Izzy rolled her eyes.

"You're too chivalrous for your own good."

"Maybe I'll stop treating you like a lady until you start acting like one." Link teased as he followed after her and toward the gate to the windy desert.

"That's a good idea. One of us has to wear the pants on this journey." Izzy retorted quickly then cleared her throat again. As they reached the gate, the Gerudo who had earlier assisted Nabooru was working quickly to clear the area in front of the small doorway that would provide access to the Haunted Wasteland.

As they walked through the door, they were immediately hit with the fierce wind mixed with the loose sand of the dunes. Link glanced back toward Izzy and was about to ask her if she wanted to turn back when he heard the door slam behind them and block their exit. Both Hylians watched the door as the crashing of metal and slamming of gates echoed beyond their vision. It appeared that it was too late for a change of heart. Glancing back at his comrade he realized what was off about her. Izzy looked fatigued. They'd had a rather long day and the night was fast upon them after all.

"Are you alright?"

"What?" Izzy looked confused by the question and patted herself down in search of a wound she hadn't noticed but found nothing.

"I said, are you alright? You look weary." Link reached into his bag and pulled out a short cloak which he then wrapped around his shoulders so he could keep the sand out of his mouth.

"I'm just fine." Izzy pulled her cloak up to cover her mouth then pulled the hood over her head. Reaching into her bag she retrieved a pair of goggles and pulled them over her eyes to block out the sand. Grabbing Link's arm as he started off into the sand, she handed him a spare pair of goggles she kept around in case the ones she usually wore broke. Link pulled the goggles on over his eyes before patting her on the arm to express his gratitude. Neither one of them wanted a mouthful of the dirt that was flying around.

As they trudged through the shifting sand beneath their feet, occasionally stopping to pull each other out of the earth when it gathered too high around their knees, the wind picked up harder and faster. The dark clouds looming overhead blocked out the light of the moon and the stars. Link stopped their walk when it became too dark to continue and withdrew a lantern he carried with him from the magical bag he used for storage. With the orange light of the lantern to guide them through the brewing storm they continued despite the thunder and lightning that picked up as they continued.

Halfway through the night, as the rain started to fall, at first lightly and then harder and accompanied by hail, Link led them to the old half buried fortress in the center of the wasteland for refuge. Climbing to the top, Link opened the heavy wooden hatch with Izzy's help before they both climbed in. Pulling the cloak away from her face, Izzy cursed and inhaled the clean air eagerly. Breathing through the thick cloak had become taxing. Link did the same and hung his lantern on a hook near the ceiling. The stone fortress shook and trembled from the storm outside but the walls held securely. Izzy peered out one of the few windows that wasn't obstructed by the dirt that had buried the fortress years ago.

"They weren't kidding were they?" Link pulled the green hat off of his head and shook the sand out of it. "That storm is nasty."

"I bet you were thinking I'd deceived you." Izzy spoke without turning from the window.

"That did cross my mind, but can you really blame me?" Link searched around the old fortress. He'd been there once in the past on his adventures and had very negative memories of the place. The ghosts that lived in the Haunted Wasteland were still there because of whatever awful thing had happened many years ago, before the fortress had been buried underneath the sands. There were no history texts on the subject that Link had been able to find, but then again there weren't many texts left at all in the land of Hyrule thanks to the destruction created by Ganondorf during his reign of terror.

"I would've been surprised if you _hadn't_ doubted me." Izzy turned away from the window and began to explore the fortress on the opposite side of where Link was looking around. She was starting to question that the tough times that had fallen on the Gerudos had been caused by the dark creatures that had been sent to the four corners of Hyrule. Maybe it was just _really_ bad luck. The image on her hand that had appeared in the forest weighed heavily on her mind. "I'm plenty of nasty things, but a liar is not one of them."

"I'm sorry for assuming." Link peered over his shoulder, curious of what she was looking at.

"Don't be." Izzy turned her gaze toward a dust and dirt covered plaque half buried beneath rubble and sand. Slowly she started to move things away from it so she could take a look at it. Link was curious of what she found and what she was doing so he joined her in her attempts to uncover the plaque. "I get it. I'm not exactly the most trustworthy person so naturally people assume that because I'm a thief, I must also be a liar. But it's quite the opposite. I see no need to lie, the truth often suffices."

Link actually laughed when he heard that, helping her wipe the dirt and must away from the letters that he didn't recognize on the plaque in front of them. Cocking a curious eyebrow toward him, Izzy stopped wiping at the plaque and turned to look at him.

"What's so funny?"

"I never thought we'd agree on anything, that's all." Link continued to chuckle. Rolling her eyes Izzy took a step back from the plaque and rested her hands on her hips as she examined the letters in the unfamiliar language. Link did the same. "I'm a terrible liar though. I couldn't do it if I tried."

"Now _that_ I'm not surprised by in the least." Izzy walked away from the plaque and yawned as she shook some more sand from her outfit.

"You spent all that time uncovering the plaque only to ignore it? What is it? Do you think it says something important?" Gesturing toward the plaque again, Link continued to dust off the letters, trying to see if there was anything he recognized on there. "I know this bird, it's on my shield…" Link pulled the shield off of his back and pointed out the carving in the reflective surface on the back.

"There's no point in trying to decipher it. That's a dead language. Ancient Hylian… but we stopped speaking it a very long time ago. The only known recording of the language was lost long ago. The Book of Mudora would be the only way to translate it. Believe me I'm curious but it's just impossible to read it without that book. I've tried to decipher that nonsense before and it's not worth the energy." Izzy took a seat on the stone floor, still shaking sand out of her hair.

"How do you know that?" Link was still looking at the stone plaque curiously.

"Really?" Izzy mocked. "Don't you study your own history?"

"It's not like I've had time to sit around studying for the last few years. Plus, no one I know has ever mentioned such a thing." Link came and sat down next to her. The wind roared overhead and sand came pouring in through the windows and crevices. It was no wonder that the fortress had been buried over the years. "We should wait out the storm in here. Maybe it'll lighten up."

"I'm not arguing." Izzy yawned and closed her eyes. There was little but the sound of the wind around them and the occasional crash of thunder whose accompanying lightning was out of sight. Observing his surroundings, Link couldn't help but think of his first trip into the Haunted Wasteland and how intimidating it had been. Not much had changed since he'd last been there except for the amount of sand burying the fortress and the severity of the storms. The only thing that had changed was Link. This time around he was far more confident in his abilities.

"The last time I came here…"

"You _really_ hate silence, don't you?" Izzy peeked one eye open at him.

"As I was _saying_," Link continued purposely, a smirk playing on his lips. "The last time I came to this place it was just as windy. I couldn't see a thing so I hid in this fortress just like we are now. For some reason I remember it being much scarier."

"Well you didn't have me to protect you." Izzy spoke and Link wasn't sure if she was joking or not but continued on with his story nonetheless.

"I couldn't see a damn thing in all that dust. I needed to get to the Desert Colossus but I kept going in circles and returning to this place. Eventually I sat down and decided to rest. When I went back outside there was a figure in the distance. The ghost of a warrior haunts this place and he led me to the Desert Colossus as long as I could keep up with him." Link adjusted his seat against the wall, scooting so he was facing Izzy. "Do you think that this storm and nasty weather is being caused by the spirits that haunted this place? Maybe it's not the shadow creature doing it at all. There's no creepy fog here like there was before and nothing tried to lure me in. Actually I'd take the wind and hail to be a big "stay out" if you ask me." Izzy contemplated his theory quietly before getting up.

"I don't know why after so many years the ghosts of this place would suddenly strike out so severely but it can't really hurt to look into it." Izzy draped the cloak around herself again and pulled her hood back up. Link did the same, retrieved his lantern and then started toward the ladder at the center of the fortress. Once outside the two searched around in the dust and the wind in hopes of spotting the ghosts that had once assisted Link on his journey to save Hyrule. Izzy walked past her companion and across the top of the fortress back into the sand. There was nothing as far as she could see in the haze, which wasn't very far at all. Her gut was telling her that there were no such ghosts haunting the fortress any longer.

Just as she was about to turn back to Link to reaffirm that his theory had been ridiculous the ground beneath her feet started to tremble. Sand shifted under her boots revealing more of the top of the fortress that had once been buried. Link felt the shaking as well and was making his way back toward Izzy. He'd blown out the flame of the lantern and placed it within his bag again, then instinctively drew his sword. Rushing over to Link, Izzy urged them into the sand and away from the source of the shaking.

Before they could get too far, the sand parted and long dark tentacles shot out from beneath, sending brick and dirt flying around them. Izzy and Link dove to the ground, out of the way of the debris then crawled as quickly as they could before the collapsing ground could suck them closer to the tentacle that had emerged.

A second tentacle shot out of the ground, followed by a third and a forth, each threatening to grab at them but missing in the darkness of the storm. The rain and hail seemed to fall harder and more severe than before with the appearance of the creature.

"I think I found the shadow beast!" Izzy got to her feet, not bothering with her sword as Link had, particularly after the last shadow beast they'd encountered had gotten the better of them in physical combat. They would have to absorb the beast as Tenameru had done. Izzy ripped the glove off of her hand and shoved it into her bag sloppily. The big problem was that Izzy had _no_ idea how to do that.

"This is not the time for sarcasm, Izzy!" Link shouted, holding his sword defensively in front of him as he dodged the tentacles that flew out of the ground. There were ten of them in total. The ground gave one final violent shake before the long worm like body, housing the tentacles that were lined with horrible glistening white fangs, emerged from the sands, standing twenty feet taller than the building they'd taken refuge in.

"This is the _perfect_ time for sarcasm, hero!" Izzy stared in awe the shadow creature, unsure of exactly what to do. It wasn't much like the first one they'd encountered within the forest. There were armored plates all along the body of the terrible worm and the tentacles were oozing with drool and blood from its mouth, which was lined with just as many fangs as the tentacles themselves seemed to have. The only vulnerable spot she could see _was_ the mouth and she didn't want to get anywhere near it.

"I thought Tenameru said this was going to be like the thing we fought in the forest!" Link shouted over the wind, apparently having the same thought as his partner.

"I think Tenameru might have been wrong." Izzy finally pulled out her weapon, stepping backwards in the sand and preparing herself to dodge any blows by the tentacles. It wouldn't be easy in their terrain and with the weather. Link nodded resolutely to agree. "Aim for the mouth?"

"Do you see those teeth? Anything I shoot or throw in there is going to get demolished before it does any damage." Link shook his head, swinging his sword around. "I say go for the tentacles. At least if we get rid of those it can't hurt us as easily."

"Can't hurt us? It's ten times our size, hero! All it has to do is move the right way and we'll be buried alive!"

"Let's deal with the more immediate problems, like getting grabbed by slimy fanged tentacles" Link shouted, jumping backwards to dodge one of the tentacles as it slammed for them. They watched in disgust as the tentacle pulled away from the dirt, drool dripping and spilling below it.

"This is the worst thing _ever_. I am so mad at you for getting me into this!" Izzy yelled as she ran to the left to dodge another blow from the tentacles that were frantically trying to grab at the both of them. Link had done the same but in the opposite direction. As Izzy had warned, the sand was starting to move and collapse in sink holes in some areas, urging Link toward the belly of the beast. Running around the tentacles that were still grabbing at the sands in hopes of catching their prey, Izzy slashed her blade at the beast. The end of the tentacle flew apart in a spray of black and green goo, flopping around on the sand like a fish out of water.

The remaining piece of the wounded tentacle was thrashing angrily in search of what had caused it pain. Four more tentacles smashed at the ground around it blindly and defensively. Izzy fell backwards into the sand and scooted through it to get out of the way. Managing to get to her feet, she hurried toward Link and offered him a helping hand before he would slide much further and be buried by the mounds of dirt kicked up by the tentacles.

"Good news is we can hurt this one!" Izzy shouted over the wind and rain.

"Hurt it? All you did was piss it off!" Link held up his shield, having to anchor his feet in the sand as the tentacles slammed against it threateningly.

"You're _welcome_." Izzy gazed around Link, staying behind the safety of his shield. "I think it's blind, I don't see any eyes!"

"You _hope_ it's blind." Link muttered. The tentacles stopped mindlessly striking the ground in search of them. Five of them rose into the air, revealing their lighter colored underbelly. Along the inside of each tentacle protected by teeth, were jewels bathed in shadow and glowing in the darkness of the storm. Each tentacle that was held high in the air started to manipulate and change. The gooey flesh at the end pulsed, throbbed and then pulled back, revealing a large curved spine.

"Oh sweet goddesses, we're in trouble." Izzy shook her head, mouth hanging agape.

"I think we have to aim for the jewels."

"Ya think?" Izzy whispered in response. Link sheathed his sword and removed his bow from his quiver. "It's time to run." He grabbed Izzy's arm as the beast roared so loudly that the ground shook and the sound of stone collapsing could be heard in the distance. The first tentacle came down with a slam and they barely got out of the way in time as the spine dug sharply into the ground, repeatedly stabbing at the dirt in hopes of killing its prey. It rose as quickly as it had fallen back into the air.

One by one the tentacles crashed into the sand, barely missing the duo as they ran as quickly as the shifting ground beneath them would allow. Izzy grabbed Link's arm to pull him back and out of the way as the creature changed course and the tentacle stabbed at the ground on either side of them in an attempt to trap them. They ran toward the creature and beneath the tentacle on the right that was stuck in the sand.

"Get down!" Link pushed Izzy hard enough to make her fall down face first as one of the tentacles swung wildly overhead, trying to catch them in its grasp. It roared louder when it realized it again missed its targets. Link fell next to her as the tentacles swung again overhead. Even blind, the creature was clever and crafty when it came to stalking its prey. "You know, now would be a really great time for you to work your magic and absorb this thing!" Link shouted as he crawled through the sand and urged Izzy to move with him.

"Yeah, I think that's a great idea too." Izzy nodded resolutely, spitting a mouthful of sand to the side and wiping her face. "Just one little problem with that."

"And what is that?" Link rolled to the side to dodge another blow from the beast. He aimed his bow quickly as he lay still on the ground on his back. Letting an arrow fly, the creature howled as one of the crystals on the underside of the tentacles shattered in a brilliant haze of green. Shards of glass from the jewel spread throughout the area, intermingling with the cold rain. Link hid beneath his shield and Izzy held her arms over her head.

"I don't know how." The creature roared threateningly, temporarily distracted by the pain that Link had inflicted with his bow.


	7. The Library

The tarnished ruins that represented the hell on earth Ganondorf had forced the Hylians to suffer through appeared far more sinister in the darkness of night than it had during the day. Then again, even in daylight the ruins left onlookers with a sickening feeling in the pit of their stomachs. One tended to become uneasy when spending too much time alone next to them. More than just remains of a tower, the evil of Ganondorf's rule had left a stain upon the world and it would take more than a few noble efforts to remove it entirely and even then the memory of the horror experienced would remain. Hyrule was forever scarred by the seven years of hatred brought on by a king who sought nothing more than to destroy.

Tenameru kept on his guard as he sauntered through the remains of the old towering castle. There was little left besides charred ground where nothing would grow and collapsed black bricks. Most of the rubble and furnishings from within the tower had been long since cleaned up by the Queen and a group of volunteers from Kakariko Village. Patches of green grass sprouted amongst the barren areas of earth, proof that the work Zelda had been doing to restore the land had been slowly working.

Left hand held out in front of him Tenameru held his palm toward the heavens and floating just above it, about three inches or so, was a gleaming white orb. The orb illuminated the area around him and kept the Redeads from the marketplace at bay.

Dark clouds obstructed the view of the stars overhead and thunder cracked in the distance. In his gut, Tenameru knew the storm was caused by something with far worse motives than Mother Nature.

"Has the rain begun?" A soft yet distant voice echoed from the blue and white orb hovering over nearby. Gazing toward the orb, Tenameru smiled at the reflection of Impa and Zelda gazing at him through the spell he'd cast within the Temple of Time so they could stay in the comfort and safety of the cathedral while he searched the so-called scene of the crime.

"Not yet. Plenty of wind and thunder though. If I were to guess, it will be upon us by early morning." Tenameru continued his search along the walls of the ruins. He got chills down his spine but wrote it off to the evil that had once haunted the land and lingered after the death grip of a man who had nothing but greedy intentions. Brushing gloved fingers along the black stone walls that had stood resilient through the tower's subsequent collapse, Tenameru felt his stomach churn. "A great evil has occurred here…"

"This is only the remnants of what actually was. Even with magic it will take ages to recover."

"Why were we never summoned?" Tenameru pulled his hand away from the stone and shook it as though he had been burned.

"What?" Zelda sounded confused.

"The armies, the Sheikah? Why were we never called to return to the land as is being done now?" Continuing on his walk through the crumbling tower, Tenameru directed his light into the darkest corners of the walls in search of something only instinct would lead him to. Something in the trees drew his attention. Had there been a shadow running through the forest along the hill that led out of the land or had it been his imagination?

"After the King fell I was forced to take the princess into hiding." Impa answered when Zelda seemed too flustered to do so. It was easy to forget that the Queen was still young and ignorant in the ways of leadership. "There was a bounty on her head and the risk was too great for us to get back into the castle to summon those who could aid us."

"Yes, I honestly didn't even realize I _could_ summon the Sheikah. I was just a child when the burden of the throne passed onto me. I had not yet been groomed for it." Zelda sounded sheepish. "But as soon as we could, we sent out the call."

"There must be new precautions put into place." Tenameru started slowly toward the edge of the forest and watched curiously for another sign of shadows moving and proof that more than an animal was hidden watching the castle grounds but saw nothing. "In case of the fall of the throne, there must be a way to summon those who can aid you in an emergency."

"I agree." Eager to please Tenameru, Zelda nodded fervently. "Our only fallback plan was the Hero of Time and now Link has the burden of our entire kingdom thrown upon his shoulders. His childhood was stolen from him as was mine. And yet I keep asking more of him."

"His duty is to the kingdom. It is his destiny to be a servant of Hyrule as much as it is my duty to be yours." Impa argued, trying to make Zelda feel better about her decisions.

"He was just a child." Zelda shook her head. "His choices are now his own. But I know he will help because he is a good man."

"You are lucky for that." Tenameru chuckled then turned away from the trees to contemplate what they knew. The topic of conversation had become uncomfortable for all involved. Clearly there was more conflict amongst the women than they had let on and Tenameru didn't want to be part of it. There were far more important matters at hand than that of the mistakes made by a Queen too young to make proper decisions. "The man who attacked you… you saw nothing of him, correct?"

"Nothing but darkness." Her wary smile signaled how grateful she was for the change in conversation.

"I have a feeling that the man who attacked you was less of a man and more like myself." Tenameru slowly walked along the perimeter of the destroyed tower again in search of anything left behind.

"What do you mean?"

"A man of magic and not a mere mortal."

"You think he's a Sheikah?" Impa gasped, appalled by the idea of one of her own attacking her beloved Queen.

"No, not at all. I think that he's likely come upon his gifts by darker methods than birthright. There are other types of magic in this world that those of us with a conscience wouldn't dare meddle with. But there are those who would sell their souls for a chance at power and relish in the darker side of our world." Tenameru scowled as he reached the ends of the ruins with no sign of any dark magic having been performed. "My guess is that he is a summoner of sorts. His magic isn't of blood like mine but rather summoned from other objects. Such magic can often leave a scar on the world like the kind used to build the terrible tower that once stood here. It's why you have not been able to knock down these walls. They're rooted into the world, like a great evil tree."

"But would it leave a scar over something already terribly scarred? And as far as I could recall no _actual_ magic was performed while he was here. All he did was knock me unconscious!" Zelda leaned closer to the magical light, as though she might be able to assist in the search if she got close enough to it.

"Only because he was interrupted by someone." Tenameru smiled knowingly. "If he had stayed longer my guess is he would've done far worse. Either way I do not think that _you_ were his target. Even your kingdom seems like a small prize for someone with such magical skill."

"Hyrule is a _grand_ prize."

"No offense your majesty, but your kingdom is in shambles. Even your people don't want to be here." Tenameru scoffed. He was a kind hearted man but not a fool. Zelda stayed quiet, disagreeing with him but not willing to fight with someone who was helping her with little reward. "Someday your kingdom will be worth stealing, but those with any brains would seek the treasures within Hyrule rather than seek the throne itself. I think he was trying to distract you and is doing so quite successfully. It's why he hasn't attacked you a second time. His summoned creatures have been discovered and the hero is off chasing them in hopes of stopping them while he does whatever he likes unseen."

"Should we have Link return from his task? What else should we be searching for?" Impa was conflicted and wary of Tenameru's opinion.

"No, Link is doing what he's good at, I assume. Until we've uncovered this summoner's plot there is little we can do other than deal with the fallout. If we can get rid of the shadows he's cast over your land then perhaps his motives will become clear to us. It's a battle against time but we are few against a force stronger than we can imagine. We can only take things as they come." Tenameru started back through the rough terrain, giving up on his search through the scarred land.

"I don't like this." Zelda's frustration was clear by the bite in her voice. "This summoner should show himself not hide in the shadows like a coward!"

"If he's smart he will stay hidden." Tenameru clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Fear not, your majesty… if I heard the call then other warriors will too. Hyrule was once a kingdom impenetrable and it will be again with your guidance. It took years to do the damage that has been done to this world and it will take more than that to recover properly."

"So we just sit and wait for Link to take care of things? No, that is what I did last time and I refuse to let the burden fall on him again while I sit idly by." Impa could be heard whispering comforting words to Zelda redeeming her of all fault in the fate suffered by their hero.

"You must remain as Queen." Tenameru spoke strongly. "It is your duty to the kingdom. If you are not here to lead then there is no kingdom to be had. What you are doing is all you _can_ do. As one of the seven guardians of this land, your highness, you have magical gifts but you were not raised for combat or travel. Do what you must and we will do as we were taught. Link is no longer alone. He has Izzy to help him."

"Yes, a thief, how _helpful_."

"Do not forget that I am here to help as well. You should not be so unkind to Izzy, even if she is not as you would hope. She is helping your kingdom and for that you should be grateful."

"My apologies." Zelda didn't sound at all apologetic.

"The Sheikah were excellent planners in their day." Tenameru changed the subject again. He was obviously used to dealing with confused and frustrated people. His patience was astounding. "Peace is never eternal in this world. They knew that someday harmony would have gone on for too long and the old ways would be lost. It is in our old stories, how even as the Sheikah still lived amongst the Hylians people began to forget the old stories of the war and struggle had. Your people no longer saw the need for our protection and a magical army against the darkness."

"I know this story." Impa smiled weakly managing to hide her frustration as she spoke. She knew Tenameru spoke the truth even if she didn't _want_ to view things the way they were.

"As I would hope all the Sheikah do." Tenameru continued on with his tale. "The Sheikah tried to work with the king of that era to put in precautions from any evil that may come to pass in the future. They knew that generations would pass and forget the deeds long ago done to bring about such peace and so the Sheikah sought out to build a library hidden from the world to keep the true tales of magic and war." He waited for a response from either woman but got none.

Zelda was watching her handmaiden thoughtfully. Impa seemed lost and she suspected that perhaps the older woman knew something about the tale that she wasn't sharing. Maybe she was searching her memory before she put in her two cents.

"So, you think this library could be of some help to us? I don't see how a bunch of old books would be much of a precaution." Zelda sounded disheartened.

"Like the people of Hyrule, the King had forgotten about the hell that had been suffered through in order to regain the peace of this world. He would not grant the precautions the Sheikah wished to build to keep the world safe. Arrogance is a terrible thing. So the Sheikah took their own precautions and hid them throughout the world so that only members of the Royal Family would be able to access them years after they were built. They, of course, hoped that it would never _need_ to be found or accessed, but evil is always present, whether or not it makes itself known is the difference."

"My mother once spoke of a library." Impa began, still lost in her thoughts but wishing to share what she knew. "I vaguely recall tales from my childhood before she passed away. She told me about a library filled with our history and powerful magic that would save Hyrule in the future. But she passed away before she could tell me too many details…"

"You never told me of such a thing." Zelda's surprised was evident in her voice.

"I do not tell you everything, milady. Plus I had forgotten all about it until Tenameru brought it up." Impa was sheepish. "Even my mother thought the story was nothing more than mere legend. I always wondered if there was such a place then why had no one found it? Why was no one searching for it?"

"My mother told me the same story growing up. Our race was taught to pass on their stories as legend so that they may never fade even if they were distorted over the years and embellished. There is always truth to myth in some manner or another, even if the truth is nowhere near as grand as we imagine it to be."

"You are wise beyond your years," Impa gasped.

"It is my cross to bear." Tenameru sat in the center of the ruins, holding the glowing orb in front of him while he listened to the sounds of the storm growing closer. Lightning was relentlessly striking in the southwest and he wondered how Izzy and Link were doing in their travels. "Mother spoke of a Sheikah woman who lived in the library and was bound to it for all eternity. After death she would remain there as a soul to protect the building as well as guide those who would came to the library seeking answers."

"There are many stories of Sheikah sacrifice such as that in our history. Portals between worlds protected by Sheikah who devote their lives to keeping them out of the hands of evildoers. Weapons that have more power than one can imagine, protected until they were needed." Impa was speaking more to Zelda than to Tenameru who she was sure would already know about such tales thanks to his heritage.

"It is true. The problem is that in all the stories I have heard, there are no clues to the location of the library. I was hoping that there would be clues hidden within your castle or remaining underneath this terrible tower but I now see the range of the evil king's malevolent reign." Tenameru sighed and then looked up toward the cloudy sky when he felt the drops of rain pitter patter against his flesh. "Hmm, I was wrong."

"What about?" Zelda asked when Impa seemed too lost in her own thoughts to be interested in what Tenameru was still doing at the ruins.

"The rain. The storm is moving much quicker than anticipated. It's unnatural." Tenameru continued to gaze up at the storm clouds but the rain didn't fall upon him again, kept away by magic and redirected.

"Do you think it is caused by our summoner?" Zelda was concerned that the man after them had so much dark power.

"Either that or it is caused by the disruption of his dark magic on our world. As you know magic comes at a price and sometimes when there is no vessel to pay the toll, the world is scarred. That is why your marketplace is so tortured. Ganondorf was clearly not willing to pay the price for the power he gained so he found ways for it to be redirected so it wouldn't cause him harm."

"What dark creature would do such a thing?" Zelda closed her eyes and held her head in her hands.

"There are many unkind people in the world, your majesty." Tenameru got back to his feet. "I am returning to the Temple. There is no more I can do on my own this night."

"I think I might know where the library is." Impa spoke up at long last. "It's a hunch and I could be terribly wrong but my mother spoke of it hidden in the forests."

"So you think it would be in the Lost Woods?" Zelda hesitated, sounding absolutely horrified.

"No, no I don't." Impa quickly corrected her Queen. "There are other forests in this world and while there are things hidden in our Lost Woods that even we cannot imagine, the library would not be kept there. The magic set in place in the Woods had been in play even back in the days of the great wars. The Sheikah would know better than to hide something so powerful in that place. There is darkness that would consume the library whole in The Lost Woods. Even the guardians would have been unable to keep it safe against such forces."

"So where would it be then if it is hidden in the forests if not the Lost Woods?" Tenameru gazed knowingly back at the trees behind the dark tower before walking away from the ruins and through the marketplace. Shrieking sounds of the Redeads recoiling from the light that Tenameru held in his hands were overwhelming and chilled the women in the Temple, preventing them from continuing on with their stories until he returned.

"Are you alright?" Zelda turned her attention away from the glowing orb and to the doors of the temple as they opened. Tenameru dispelled the magical glowing orb as he walked into the temple. They were left in darkness and as Zelda went to start lighting candles, Tenameru raised his hand and the candles lit themselves one by one without any assistance.

"I am just fine. The Redeads on the other hand are suffering terribly." Tenameru took a seat in one of the pews that had been restored within the temple. "As you were saying?"

"Yes, I do believe the only other substantial forest in Hyrule is the one that heads north behind the castle and toward the next land." Impa bowed her head respectfully.

"The Woods of Mystery?" Zelda looked petrified. "I don't feel any better about that than I do about the Lost Woods."

"There are parts of Hyrule that are specifically designed to fill people with terror. This fear is a tool against the wicked and the weak. Only those willing to face the horror of these places will be rewarded with the magic hidden within them. Usually it's these places we fear most than contain the most fantastic relics." Impa spoke soothingly.

"So, we should look for light in the darkest of places, you're saying?" Zelda knew it made sense but she didn't like the idea of going into the woods she'd been taught to fear her whole life.

"Yes, precisely. I couldn't have put it better myself." Tenameru got back up from where he sat in the pews. "I am unfamiliar with these lands, I should not search alone. You should come with me and guide me in case I get lost."

"But what about the creatures?" Zelda immediately objected, peering through the stained glass windows, as though she could see the horrible reanimated bodies of the dead lurking outside of it. "And the rain. Wouldn't it be best if we waited until tomorrow… in the daylight?"

"If this place is hidden in shadow, then it will not matter what time of day we search for it, it will only be found in darkness and fear." Tenameru started toward the door.

"But what if we get hurt?" Zelda touched the sore spot on the side of her head where the summoner had earlier attacked her.

"Trust me, your majesty, there is no safer person you could travel with in the darkness than me." Tenameru opened the doors and the rain moved away from him, as though afraid. While it was a trick of his magic, Zelda felt comforted that such power was on their side.

"I will also protect you, my Queen. With my life, as I always have." Impa joined Tenameru near the doorway and waited for Zelda to join them. Donning her long lavender cloak, Zelda walked reluctantly forward to join her peers. The door slammed loudly behind them as they moved into the darkness. There were no signs of the Redeads that often roamed the area, apparently all having run off thanks to whatever spell Tenameru had cast upon them upon his earlier return.

"Through the ruins quickly, I do not trust these shadows." Zelda shivered, not at all comforted by the Sheikah who were bound to protect her. She'd spent far too many years hiding in darkness to seek comfort in it further. But Tenameru and Impa had both spoke of facing fears in order to find the library that might not even exist and she knew if there was a chance of finding it she would have to approach the darkness head on.

"You will be fine, there is nothing here." Tenameru waved his hand and the orb that he'd earlier split in two for purposes of light and communication was now hovering ahead of them to guide their way with little effort. As they passed the ruins they started up the hill and past the area in the grass beneath them disturbed from where Izzy and Link had fought earlier after the Queen had been attacked.

"I do not like this place, I never did." Zelda whispered. Tenameru commanded the orb to glow brighter so that they could see through the trees ahead of them and the Queen turned her attention to him, clearly flattered by his actions. "Your magic is impressive."

"Thank you, your majesty." Tenameru bowed his head graciously but continued searching the darkness of the trees. Something had moved beyond his vision earlier and he wondered if perhaps it was some trick of the forest rather than some evil force moving through it as he had once suspected. Now that he was searching for the library, he viewed the forest behind the castle in a completely different light.

"No, it is us who should be thankful. I fear this place and you are filling it with light to ease my fears."

"I am filling it with light so that we may see." Tenameru chuckled.

"I have never seen anyone with the ability to command magic the way that you do and I must say that I am tickled to experience it." Zelda smiled, comforted by the light surrounding them.

"Did you see that?" Impa shouted suddenly, gasping in surprise as she spied something amongst the trees. Tenameru guided the light where Impa was pointing but saw nothing.

"What? Did you see something?" Tenameru and Zelda both searched in the direction that Impa had seen the shadow but saw no evidence that anything had crossed in front of their path.

"A creature of darkness! I saw it! It was moving clearly through the light!"

"What was it?"

"I don't know, it had no shape that I could discern." Impa sighed, seemingly embarrassed. "Forgive me. It was likely a trick of the imagination. This place makes me uncomfortable as it does my Queen."

"No, you are not making things up." Tenameru turned his attention away and instead of walking along the overgrown path between the trees, he started toward the area where Impa had spotted the shadow.

"I'm not?" Impa looked genuinely surprised.

"No, you are not. I saw shadows lurking in the forest when I was out here on my own. When I started looking for the source they disappeared. It seems that there is something else in this place but I do not think it is any creature that wishes to cause us harm." Tenameru offered his hand to Zelda so that she would not trip on the roots of the trees that had grown far out of the soil.

"What do you think they are?" Impa was curious, standing protectively behind her Queen so that nothing could cause her harm without going through either her or Tenameru.

Zelda shrieked and stopped walking suddenly, nearly causing Impa to crash into her and fall face down into the marsh.

"What is it? Are you hurt?" Impa fretted over the child she'd raised for years on her own.

"There was a shadow! I saw it! To your left!" Tenameru redirected their path to follow after the shadow. "I only saw it out of the corner of my eye but… there was a shadow there. I can see how you thought it was a figment of your imagination, Impa! But there was clearly something there."

"I think that these shadows are leading us somewhere." Tenameru marched confidently through the brush beneath the trees despite how rough the terrain became. "I am looking for it, so I don't think that it will come to me. Keep your eyes out for movement in the darkness and we will follow where it leads."

"And what if it's a trap?" Zelda's voice quavered as she searched the trees, pulling her cloak tighter protectively around her. "Some trick of the forest to get us lost and then consume us the way the Lost Woods do…"

"Then you will be protected by two of the best Sheikah I have known." Tenameru moved on determinedly.

"How is it you are not afraid?" Zelda whispered in a frail voice.

"I have seen worse in the darkness than you can imagine, your majesty, and these shadows don't seem to want to harm us at all. In fact, if I had to guess… I would say they are dancing." Tenameru's eyes were alight with amusement.

"You are rather the optimist, aren't you?" Impa grabbed Tenameru's shoulder and pointed up the hill where she'd seen another shadow.

"Life is far too short to assume the worst is always at hand. Those of us who possess magic know this much better than others." Tenameru marched up the hill, leading the group slowly through the untamed wilderness.

Very plainly in front of them stood a series of shadows, taking no particular shape and shifting so that none could be discerned. Tenameru stopped and pointed them out to his companions who were looking from side to side in search of more shadows to guide them. Zelda audibly gasped but Impa grabbed her hand to stop her from doing more than that in her terror.

"They are guides." Tenameru started again along the path and as he did, the shadows moved further away, leading them deeper into the darkness of the woods. His magic lit up the shadows but the trees became so thick that even his orb couldn't cut through the shadows cast by the ancient trees.

"Are you sure?" Zelda whispered.

"If not then you are guiding us into the belly of the beast."

"They are guides." Tenameru continued through the darkness, keeping his magic around only for the comforts of his companions. His eyes had long adjusted to seeing in the darkness at all times. In fact, during the day his vision was more sensitive than others and his eyes often became weary and sore from the effort of being open so long in the light. He much preferred the shadows.

Hours passed as they trudged through the forest in the darkness and the rain. Thanks to Tenameru's gifts they remained free of the chill of the weather, but the trek had begun to take its toll on those not used to such travel.

Thankfully it wasn't much longer than that before they reached a clearing in the woods. Each traveler stopped and stared in awe. The three shadows that had led them to the clearing were standing around the center in the shape of a triangle. In the center of the clearing was a large old weeping willow, its boughs looking beaten and half dead. There were no leaves hanging from its branches and the roots were mangled and wicked looking.

"There are spirits inside that tree." Zelda whispered, clearly chilled by the sight of the haunted willow.

"No, that is just how it appears." Turning to his companions, Tenameru smiled proudly. "Even if it is not the library we search for we have found something magical in these woods and I can only guess it will aid us in our quest one way or another."

"How could there be a library inside of a tree?" Impa looked skeptical and had her hand on the hilt of her sword as she eyed the shadows that remained still around the tree in the center.

"I have seen much stranger things over the years." Zelda straightened her back and though she was scared knew what she had to do. Slowly she walked forward toward the tree. Impa grabbed her shoulder to stop her.

"No, what if they hurt you?"

"They won't. Your story said that only a member of the Royal Family could access these sorts of hidden precautions, didn't it? Well, then I must be the one to activate this magic!" Zelda shooed her handmaiden's arm away from her shoulder and then started through the darkness of the clearing and past the shadows that made no budge or attempt to consume her.

Swallowing the lump in the back of her throat, Zelda walked up to the trunk of the tree and examined it curiously. There was nothing that seemed magical about the old haunted tree. In fact, if she had a guess then she would've assumed that something horrible had been hidden in the tree, not a tool to be used by those seeking to aid the kingdom.

But then again, in the stories Tenameru and Impa had shared, the gifts given to the people of Hyrule by the Sheikah were often disguised as looking wicked and fearful so perhaps the tree was a rather grand magical gift to the kingdom.

"Please don't be something awful." Zelda chuckled nervously before placing her palm against the tree. At first nothing happened except the bark scratched at her hand. When she went to turn away and look at her comrades, the ground began to shake.

"My Queen!" Impa cried and ran forward but Tenameru blocked her with his magic to keep her from interfering. Cracks in the ground ran beneath their feet and toward the roots of the tree. "Let me go!"

Grass sprouted to life out of the cracks and spread throughout the clearing quickly. The shadows that had stood guard began to change their forms into three beautiful women made of gold. The golden women became statues each with their hands held high above their heads toward the heavens. Red, Green and Blue orbs floated mystically above their hands.

Vines from the cracks in the ground emerged and mystically grew to wrap around the trunk of the tree. The colorful orbs above the statues that had once been shadows spun and smaller lights flew around them before creating beams that shot into the tree. Zelda shrieked in surprise but found that she couldn't pull her hand away from the bark of the tree that had changed from an evil looking black to a light and playful brown. Moss began to grow along the roots that were still stuck out from the ground.

Slowly the beams of light transformed the tree. Branches grew leaves quickly and golden magic spread between the lines in the old bark of the tree. The beams very suddenly stopped transmitting their power and the glowing orbs changed and turned to stone of the same color they had once been glowing but stayed floating above the statues.

The golden power flowed like a river down the tree until it hit the roots and then stopped. Finally Zelda was able to pull her hand away and she stepped back in awe to view the now beautiful and friendly looking tree that had transformed at her touch. Tenameru and Impa came to join her now that the magic had finished spreading throughout the area.

"Are you alright, milady?" Impa fretted over Zelda who swatted her away in favor of looking at the amazing feat she'd accomplished with a mere touch of her hand. Her heart was racing and she was completely flustered by what she'd seen.

"I'm fine! What is this? What did I do?" Zelda was practically giddy with excitement. She'd had adventures of her own when she'd made small attempts to guide Link along the path he would have to travel in order to rid Hyrule of the evil king but this was something entirely different.

"I don't know." Tenameru laughed, pleased that the princess was so excited by what she thought she had accomplished.

"There is writing here." Zelda peered closer at the bark. The golden magic that had flowed from the top of the branches had solidified into lettering hidden behind the old bark of the tree. "But I do not recognize these symbols… They are strange." She turned to Tenameru and Impa, hopeful that one of them could make out what the tree had revealed to them.

Tenameru leaned closer so he could take a look at the writing that had been revealed via the magic of the Sheikah. He wanted to tell Zelda that she had done nothing except for possess royal blood but her excitement was so grand that he didn't want to ruin the illusion yet. The Sheikah of old often used the touch of royalty to unlock the magic they'd hidden in something over the years. So while Zelda had been the key to free the tree of the darkness it'd been shrouded in, she hadn't been what had directly caused the transformation.

"I have never seen this language before…" Tenameru shook his head in dismay. While they had unlocked something, he had the distinct feeling that they wouldn't be able to possess or utilize it until they could decipher what was written on the tree.

"That is Ancient Hylian." Impa brightened up, proud that she'd contributed at long last to what they'd discovered but her excitement quickly faded. "It is a dead language."

"Well that doesn't sound promising," Zelda exhaled dramatically. "No one speaks it?"

"I do believe that is the definition of a dead language." Tenameru chuckled.

"The Sheikah used to communicate in Ancient Hylian during the great wars but seeing as the common Hylian became so widely used, it died out over time. There may be some Sheikah descendants that are still fluent in it but finding them will be a task in and of itself." Impa sighed heavily. "But, we must not stop searching just because of that."

"We will find someone who speaks this language and open this tree so we may find whatever is inside of it. I have hopes that this is the library we seek, but there is no real way of knowing." Tenameru turned away from the tree. "It should not be hard to locate again now that it has been revealed and will remain protected by the Goddesses." Tenameru patted the golden statue of Din the Goddess of Power.

"I feel like we're on a wild goose chase." Zelda was hesitant to leave the beautiful tree to return to the Temple of Time but knew that it was unsafe for her to remain in the Woods of Mystery on her own.

"My dear Queen, we are!" Tenameru laughed jovially. "But, at least we are trying."

"Always the optimist," Impa snorted. "But what other choice do we have?"

"That's the spirit." Tenameru led the group back to the Temple of Time, so they could regroup and decide how to locate someone who could decipher the writing on the tree trunk.


End file.
